


My Galaxy Knight

by Treo_dishks



Series: Exo AU [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: ChanBaek - Freeform, Cheating, HunHan - Freeform, Jongdae and Yixing are idols, KaiSoo - Freeform, M/M, Multi, XiuChen - Freeform, main relationship taoris, sulay - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 04:30:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 34,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16737142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treo_dishks/pseuds/Treo_dishks
Summary: One normal evening, Yifan sat in a cafe with an iced tea, minding his own business and being lost in thought, like any other person. In walked Tao, a few moments later, with his good looks and casual attire, not knowing the extent of damage he would do to Yifan in the near future.





	My Galaxy Knight

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, beautiful readers. I wrote this piece a few months ago, but never got to uploading it here. I'm so busy right now that I haven't written anything in a long time. My other fic is sadly hanging with loose ends and that makes me really upset. So, I just posted this here, just to make myself feel better. I got the inspiration for this when I was watching an episode of FRIENDS. Let's see if you readers can guess which episode! Please enjoy!

The coffeehouse at the corner of the street was the best place to hang out. There were always groups of people sitting about the big coffeehouse, talking, laughing, and amusing themselves. It was also a good place to meet new people and get to know them; ask them out on a date perhaps.

 

Yifan glowered as he stared at the various couples seated in the little cafe. He did not have any qualms about love or people in love. He was just sad that he had no one special, at the moment, in his life. He had good friends, and he was happy with his life in Korea. Yet, he felt lonely at times, and he wished he had someone to spend it with.

 

It was not like he was totally lonely; he did have a roommate. No matter what anyone told him about him being old enough to live by himself, he loved the company of the younger male who lived with him. He was a medical intern named Kim Jongin. While the boy was still interning at the hospital, he was mature and talented.

 

Yifan had found him a year ago, when the young intern was in search of a place that was close enough to his hospital. Initially, Jongin had been shy, but now he was anything but that. He was a fun loving kid who enjoyed making people laugh. And, he loved to dance.

 

Yifan's life had changed a lot after Jongin had moved in. The younger always made sure that Yifan went out with him on weekends. Jongin never drank, and it was the one thing that Yifan admired about him. But he did love to party.

 

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt the couch he was sitting on dip down. He turned his head to the side to tell the person that the seat was occupied, but he was met with a soul-crushing hug instead. His eyes widened with surprise and he stared at the mop of blonde tucked underneath his chin.

 

“Fanfan! It's so nice to see you after a long time!”

 

Yifan rolled his eyes upwards and gently pushed the clinging blonde away from him. Bright doe eyes, albeit lined heavily with lack of sleep, gazed at him lovingly as a smile stretched across his pretty face. Yifan could not help but smile.

 

“Luhan-ge, we met each other just this morning. You don't need to act like its been years since we saw each other,” he said with a grunt.

 

Luhan's smile dampened for a moment before he waved his hand dismissively. “Don't be such a sourpuss, Yifan. It won't kill your heart to smile and be happy,” came the chiding retort.

 

Yifan had known Luhan from the time he had shifted to Korea. He had shared his dorm with the elder throughout his college life. They had a good rapport and they were good friends. Luhan had also helped him with his Korean, for which Yifan was eternally grateful.

 

Coming from Canada, he had a hard time adjusting to Korea, but Luhan had made all the difference. They hung out even now and still managed to maintain a good friendship. It also helped that they lived in the same building.

 

Yifan sighed and glanced at the elder with an apologetic smile. He tugged on the sleeve of the other's shirt, and when Luhan looked at him, he was met with a wide smile. This led to Luhan once more embracing him openly in the cafe.

 

Yifan pushed away the blonde, and they smiled at each other with embarrassed tinges to their faces. Then, they ordered iced teas as they waited for Jongin.

 

“Where's Jongin? Didn't he come with you?” Yifan asked with a raised brow. Luhan just shrugged his shoulders and told him that Jongin had left earlier without telling him anything of his evening plans.

 

Luhan worked as a pediatric surgeon in the same hospital that Jongin interned. The two had become quite close after Yifan had introduced them. Luhan would sometimes join them on their party fests. It also helped that Luhan was just as good a dancer as Jongin was. It was unfortunate that Yifan could never dance. He was all hands and limbs, stamping on the feet of his partners. He had danced a lot in his college days with his friends, but that was the last he had danced. 

 

Reminiscing about his carefree days at the university, he aimlessly stared at his surroundings as Luhan droned about some cute guy he had met in the hospital, when in his line of vision, arrived the most breath-taking guy he had ever seen.

 

He felt a stirring in him as his eyes trailed over the other boy. The young lad was tall, maybe a few inches shorter than Yifan's height, and he had black hair that was styled back and parted to the side to reveal a wide forehead and a pair of cat like eyes. There were dark circles under those eyes, and Yifan wondered if it was due to sleeplessness.

 

He had on a pale blue jean jacket over a white T-shirt. The sleeves of the jacket was folded up to reveal tanned arms. He walked past them and sat at one corner of the cafe. Yifan could not help but admire the way his black jeans were stretched over his legs. It was enticing and he felt himself grow attracted to this stranger who was not even trying to gain attention to himself. The corner where the boy sat was mostly for couples who desired some privacy, but Yifan continued to look at him.

 

The boy sat one of the chairs and immediately dug into his bag, which Yifan had not even noticed that he had, only to pull out his phone and his earphones. While he inserted the earphones into his ears, he looked up and accidentally caught Yifan's gaze.

 

Yifan immediately looked away and felt his cheeks grow warm. He shook his head a few times and tried looking back at the handsome boy, but he was too engrossed in the music to even notice Yifan.

 

A very obvious throat-clearing sound beside him drew Yifan's attention. He slowly glanced at Luhan who was sitting next to him with a smirk on his face. He wagged his eyebrows at him, and Yifan wanted to wipe that smirk off of his face.

 

“Ge, don't start-”

 

“Yifan you have to go talk to him!”

 

Yifan let out a sigh and slumped his shoulders. He did not want to have this argument again. Whenever he looked with interest at anyone, Luhan would always coax him to go and approach them. What Luhan did not know was that Yifan was extremely shy and nervous around new people. Particularly, the ones he liked.

 

“Luhan-ge, I really don't think I should go and talk to him. What if he's here on a date?” He asked with a frown. The other one merely listened as he was now staring once more at the boy in question. He let out a low whistle and harshly patted Yifan's back.

 

“Wow. You've caught yourself a nice little treat, Fanfan! Now you _have_ to go and talk to him,” he said with a sweet smile and wide eyes. There was such an expression of hope written over his gege’s face that he did not want to crush it.

 

“I really don't think I should do it,” Yifan declared. This, however, did nothing to deter Luhan.

 

“Yifan you are a professor, for crying out loud! You should be used to meeting new people! Now stop acting like a sissy. Man up and go ask that kid out on a date! Go! Go!” Luhan urged his younger friend by waving his hand towards the general direction of where the boy was seated. Yifan grumbled under his breath that he was not a professor but an associate professor, which fell on deaf ears.

 

Having no choice but to listen to Luhan, he stood up to his full height and absently dusted his pants. After making sure his shirt was free of crinkles, he made his way to the corner where the boy sat. The boy was lost in his phone as Yifan approached him, so he was caught off guard when a tall shadow suddenly loomed over him.

 

He took off his earphones and glanced up at Yifan with wide eyes. Up close he looked even more better to Yifan. His eyes caught the evening sunshine streaming from the window and it shone in a warm brown color. His breathing involuntarily arrested for a millisecond when he noticed black kohl lining his eye lids in an elegant sweep.

 

Yifan was used to addressing large crowds so he wondered why his vocal chords failed him now when he needed it the most. The boy continued to look at him with a questioning expression and it was not until he raised his brow that Yifan remembered what he was supposed to do.

 

He cleared his throat and placed his hands behind his back in order to appear casual. “H-Hi. Uh I couldn't help but notice you from the other side of the cafe, but uh you've got r-really good eyes,” he stuttered out.

 

The boy's brows rose comically high on his forehead before he responded. Yifan wanted to mentally kick himself for how lame he sounded. In an attempt to redeem himself he quickly justified himself by elaborating his previous statement.

 

“I-I mean, your eyes are very well shaped. Much like a cat's. Not that you look like a cat, I mean. I'm sure you're like a tiger. Not wild, uhm, much more fire like. But for all that I know you could have the personality of a baby cat, uhm, I think I should shut up now,” he said, gritting his teeth towards the end and covering his face with his palms. Not only his voice, but his vocabulary also failed him. _You said baby cat, you foolish nut,_ he chastised himself mentally.

 

He was sure he had lost all chances with the boy when he heard a soft chuckle. He immediately dropped his palms and looked down at the boy.

 

His face was rife with amusement and he was letting out a kittenish laughter. His eyes were scrunched up a little, and Yifan wanted to melt into the floor of the cafe. He could not have embarrassed himself any more than this. His entire face flamed up, and he felt like a fool.

 

“Oh my, that was funny. Thank you for the compliment. People always talk about my legs or height, but you noticed my eyes,” the boy said in a soft voice. His tone was rich and Yifan wished the boy would never stop talking.

 

“Well, it's what I noticed. And also, those dark circles under your eyes. I couldn't help but wonder if they were due to stress,” he wondered. The younger one lifted a perfectly manicured finger to his dark circles and touched the skin there gently.

 

“Ah, these are inherited. I don't know from whom I got it but I've been born with these. Everyone thinks it's because I don't sleep, but I guess one could blame my genes, heh.”

 

Yifan's eyes grew fond hearing about this little detail about the boy, and he felt himself smiling widely at him. He may have imagined it, but there was a slight redness dusting the younger one's cheeks as he suddenly held out his hand.

 

“I'm Huang Zitao, but Tao is just fine,” he said meekly. Yifan gripped the younger one's hand and gave it a gentle shake.

 

“I’m Wu Kris Yifan, but everyone always call me Yifan. It's nice to meet you, Zitao,” he said in a deep voice. His smile was still in place and he continued to speak lest he lose his courage and voice again.

 

“The reason I came here was to ask you out on a date,” he uttered in a soft tone. He did not want anyone else to overhear for he was afraid of what the answer would be. Tao's face turned sorrowful in an instant, and Yifan already knew that he was rejected.

 

“I wish I could say yes, but I'm sort of waiting for someone,” Tao said apologetically. Yifan did his best to  maintain a poker face, but he must have failed at that as he noticed that Tao refused to meet his gaze.

 

Yifan handled the situation in a professional way by assuring Tao that everything was alright and that he had not felt too bad. Which was a blatant lie given the fact that Yifan was extremely upset at the rejection.

 

Tao's eyes suddenly rose up towards the entrance just as the door to the cafe burst open. Since Yifan's back was to the entrance, he could not who had entered. He suddenly felt two lanky arms wrap around his torso from behind and felt someone back hug him.

 

“Galaxy Hyung! I missed you!”

 

“I swear to God, everyone's acting too smarmy around me today,” whined Yifan in a very unmanly manner. His mood was slowly turning foul and his roommate's antics only added up to his frustration.

 

“Hyung, you don't have to be so rude to me, you know. You didn't even wish me in the morning,” replied Jongin with a pout on his face.

 

“What do you want, Nini?” He asked in his most controlled voice. He clenched his eyes shut in irritation and decided to indulge the boy. At least then, he may leave him be.

 

“Well, something cold and energising would be nice!” He replied with a bright smile that Yifan could not see. Yifan scoffed and let out a sigh. “Then you should get back home and shower in cold water,” came the retort from Yifan. This had Jongin chuckling at him.

 

Yifan removed Jongin's clingy arms from his chest and roughly tugged them away. In front of him, Tao's eyes were rounded with shock as he stared up at the two. His jaw was slackened and his mouth hung open. His eyes darted worriedly between Jongin and Yifan.

 

“Tao-hyung! You're already here? I'm sorry for making you wait,” screamed Jongin. Yifan felt his blood run cold as he heard Jongin address Tao so intimately. His eyes immediately found Tao's and he was amazed at the way the latter's face turned nonchalant.

 

“Ah it's okay, Jongin. I know how busy it can get for you at the hospital,” reassured Tao. It was then that Jongin noticed the proximity between Yifan and Tao. He pointed between the two of them with a suspicious look on his face.

 

“Did you two already meet?” He asked sharply. Yifan spluttered to form a response but Tao beat him to it.

 

“Earlier when I entered the cafe, I had dropped my earphones. Yifan-ssi was just returning it to me,” he replied referring to Yifan in a respectful manner.

 

Jongin smiled at him and waved his hand dismissively. “Don't be so formal with this hyung. He's my roommate and my best friend, even if he is older than me,” he exclaimed.

 

Tao looked at Yifan and rendered him with a gentle smile. He then bashfully looked away when he spoke. “I will call you Gege. Unless, you mind?” With this his eyes rose once more to meet Yifan's. The latter felt his heart melt at the sight.

 

“Why would I mind? It's nice to be called that,” he replied awkwardly. They continued to stare at each other for the next few seconds until, thankfully, Jongin broke the silence.

 

“We'll get going now, Tao-hyung. I've got some nice things planned for the evening. Just give me a second to freshen up. I'll meet you outside!” He said excitedly, then he bounded up to the washroom area and disappeared from sight.

 

As soon as he left Yifan breathed out a sigh of relief. He noticed Tao grab his earphones and tuck them inside his bag. Then he got up and faced Yifan with a reddened face. Muttering apologies under his breath, Tao made his way swiftly out of the cafe.

 

Yifan sighed and slowly made his way back to where Luhan was sitting on the couch. The elder had an expectant look on his face, but it dissolved into one of confusion when Yifan dropped down on the couch with a grunt.

 

“Well?” Questioned Luhan with barely contained excitement. Yifan glanced at him and shook his head slightly. He looked back to the blonde and put on the most pitiful expression he could muster.

 

“He's dating Jongin,” he said in a sombre voice. This drew a perplexed sound from Luhan and he poked Yifan's shoulder.

 

“Did you just say he's dating Jongin?” Yifan nodded pathetically at his question and continued to drink his iced tea. “Kim Jongin, as in your roommate?” Another nod. “The young intern who works at the hospital I work?”

 

“No, the one who cleans the floors,” he quipped without humor. Luhan gave him a dirty look and Yifan sighed again, placing his glass down on the table, before he went on to explain.

 

“I went and complimented him, even going as far to make a fool out of myself. I asked him out and he rejected me, saying he was already waiting for someone. And at that moment, Jongin entered and he apologized to Tao for making him wait. Now Tao's outside waiting for Jongin to freshen up and join him on his date. How pathetic am I?” He complained as he once more dropped his face into his palms, his iced tea forgotten.

 

Luhan sighed after he was done narrating, and he leaned forward to embrace the younger one by wrapping an arm around his broad shoulders. Yifan was hunched up and he gave into Luhan's touch.

 

“Hey, for what it's worth, you at least tried. I'm sorry, though,” he whispered softly by Yifan's ear. The latter nodded and focused his gaze on the tea in front of him when Jongin whizzed past them, throwing a 'see you later, hyungs’ into their general direction.

 

Yifan looked towards the glass windows of the cafe and spotted his roommate talking animatedly to Tao, who only smiled at him. The two boys made their way away from the Cafe, and Yifan's eyes followed them until they were no longer visible through the windows.

 

Luhan tightened his hold on Yifan and he gave a gentle squeeze. Then, he got up and ruffled Yifan's blonde locks. “Come on, Fanfan. I think tonight should be spent drinking something stronger than iced tea,” he said smartly, giving a wry grin.

 

Although Yifan was not so fond of alcohol, today seemed like an amazing day to drink. He had really liked Tao, and if Jongin was serious about him then he would have much more issues on his plate. Especially, if Jongin brought him home for the night.

 

The sudden thought made him gag and he quickly got to his feet. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”

 

Luhan gave him a praising slap to his back exclaiming, “That's the spirit, my child.”

 

Yifan groaned and let himself be led by the blonde. When Luhan planned something, he would not rest until he had executed it. He knew he was in good hands.

  


* * *

  


After that evening, Yifan did not see Tao again. Jongin went out with him and returned home late with a bashful smile on his face. He had recounted to Yifan the next day about his date with Tao.

 

Jongin had taken him to an arcade in the mall (he had defended himself to Yifan, saying that Tao had never played at the arcade in the mall) after which they had eaten at a restaurant. It was a good date, all in all, and Jongin liked it.

 

Yifan had sadly been drunk when he had returned home, and Jongin was already asleep by then. Luhan had dropped him off at his house, for which Yifan was grateful.

 

He had felt a little better after hearing about their date, but it dissipated when he realized how much Jongin had enjoyed the other boy's presence. In order to distract himself from such sordid thoughts, he took it upon himself to promptly get to work on time despite the alcohol-induced headache he had.

 

Yifan worked as an Associate Professor in a well reputed University. He taught Physics at the University, and he taught English at another teaching centre. He was well liked among his peers, and he was infamous among his students. Most of the girls sighed and smiled at him whenever he handled classes, and the boys always aspired to be cool like him.

 

He was always modest about it, and he would gently enforce the barrier between his students and him. He was a professional after all.

 

He had succeeded in forgetting about it all, until he reached home. Waiting at his doorstep was none other than Zitao. He was hovering over the door of the apartment complex and it took Yifan a good minute to realize that Zitao could not enter the building without someone letting him in.

 

He parked his vehicle at the parking lot in front of the building and made his way towards the building. Zitao, who was busy on his phone, looked up when he heard footsteps approach him. His face broke into a familiar grin as he placed his phone back into his pockets.

 

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Asked Yifan in a sarcastic way. He had not expected his visit and he felt unprepared to face him again after the embarrassment at the coffee house.

 

Tao scratched the back of his neck and shuffled his feet awkwardly. He stuck out his lower lip in a half-pout and Yifan almost smiled at him.

 

“May I come in at least?” Tao requested in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. Yifan nodded at him, entered the pass code, and opened the door for himself and Tao. The latter uttered a word of thanks before he let himself in.

 

They took the stairs, which ended up with a whine from Tao who complained of being tired, and they climbed it silently, side by side. Yifan's apartment was on the fourth floor and by the time they reached it, Tao was gasping for breath.

 

As Yifan entered his apartment he could not help but chuckle at the young man's predicament. “I'm older than you and my breathing's still even,” he teased with a grin.

 

This earned a mild glare from Tao, who was now clutching onto his sides and gasping for breath. “Well after an entire day of work I think I'm allowed to be tired, old man,” quipped the younger one, which earned a scoff from Yifan.

 

“What do you do for work anyway? Lift bags of coal?” He jested with Tao. He placed his bag on the table by the door and gestured towards the couch. Tao nodded and made his way to the couch. He flopped down on it and let out a groan.

 

“That's not funny, Ge. I teach self defense classes for anyone who wants to protect themselves,” he said. Yifan, who had just returned from the kitchen with a glass of water, raised his brows in surprise at the new information.

 

“You do martial arts?” He asked as he offered the glass to a breathless Tao who gratefully accepted the water with a smile.

 

After gulping down the contents of the glass, he smacked his lips and glanced at Yifan. “Yes. I've learnt Wushu from the time I was a kid. I took some business courses back in Qingdao and set up my own dojo,” he said with a proud smile.

 

Yifan sat down on the recliner next to the couch and gave an impressed smile at Tao. “I least expected you to be a martial artist. I figured you for some software whizz kid, or probably someone in the line of fashion,” he explained, ending it with a smirk.

 

Tao chuckled at this, and it was a soft sound of mirth that rattled Yifan's heart. “Ge, I literally met you yesterday. How did you figure all of that with just one meeting?” He asked. His eyes were scrunched up into half-crescents and Yifan bit his inner cheeks to prevent from smiling blindly like a fool.

 

“Well, you wear really fashionable clothes, so I guess I jumped to conclusions,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. The words seemed to have some sort of negative effect, because Tao suddenly turned serious as he looked up at Yifan.

 

Yifan's brows knit together, and he was about to question the sudden change in expression when Tao himself spoke.

 

“I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday,” he started hesitantly. “I should have said something to you after Jongin introduced us, but I was a little mortified so I just ran away like the coward that I am,” he explained in a self-deprecating manner.

 

Yifan shook his head and leaned forward in order to comfort the boy. “It's not your fault. And neither is it mine, actually. We couldn't have known that about each other. Although, that still wouldn't have stopped me from approaching you,” Yifan said with a wink.

 

Tao's face turned a beautiful shade of red at the flirtatious comment, but he managed to regain his composure. “So, no hard feelings?” He asked in a small voice. Yifan shook his head and offered him a smile.

 

“I really want to stay on your good side,” admitted Tao with a warm smile. Yifan tilted his head to the side a little as he spoke, “Is it because I'm your boyfriend's roommate?”

 

“Maybe, I don't know. I just want you to have a good impression of me is all.”

 

Yifan chuckled at Tao’s forwardness, but he could not help but deny that his liking towards him grew a little. Tao then stood up and placed the empty glass on the coffee table in front of the couch.

 

“I guess I'll get going now. I've got stuff to do,” he said, looking at Yifan with gleeful eyes. The latter also stood up and offered his hand to him. Tao shook his hand and waved at him in farewell.

 

Yifan watched the boy go with a sadness that he could not comprehend. He was sure that Tao would make an amazing boyfriend. He immediately cleared such thoughts from his head as he realized that Tao was Jongin's boyfriend now.

  


* * *

 

They did not meet again for a week or two, until one Saturday afternoon, a knock on Yifan's door drew him from his cocoon of blankets that he had wrapped around himself as he had sat on his couch, watching a movie.

 

After freeing himself from his blankets he slowly made his way to the door. He had to pause in between as he was suddenly arrested with a coughing bout. The knocks resounded again and Yifan let out a groan before he opened the door, ready to tell the visitor to come again next time. As he opened the door his eyes widened in surprise, for standing in front of him was none other than Tao.

 

“Tao? What are you doing here? Jongin's not home-”

 

“I know. I came to see you,” he said with a growing smile. Yifan sniffed and stared dumbly at the boy for a moment before he let him in.

 

Yifan gingerly made his way back to his blanket nest, while Tao sat on the carpeted floor. He handed a paper bag to Yifan, who took it with a suspicious look on his face, all the while giving him a scrutinized look. He looked into the bag and found tissues, medicines, and some cough drops. He took out the cough drops and popped one into his mouth, grateful for its numbing after-effects on his infected throat.

 

He finally glanced at the Tao and pointed to the bag in his hand. “How did you know I was sick?” He asked in a hoarse voice, which further led to another coughing bout.

 

Yifan had fallen sick two days before. There was some sort of flu spreading among his students, and it was natural that he would get it too. He just had not expected it's intensity to be so severe.

 

Tao gave him a worried glance before he shrugged his shoulders. “Jongin told me about it. This flu spread among the little ones that come to my dojo too, so I gave them a day off. When I called Jongin he sounded very worried about you. He told me he won't be back until later tonight because he's got back-to-back shifts,” he ended with a nod.

 

Yifan could guess what had happened next. Jongin, the concerned little bear that he was, had probably requested Tao to fetch him medicines and make sure he wasn't alone. While Yifan appreciated the thought, he really was fine on his own.

 

“He sent you, didn't he?” Yifan asked with a knowing smile. Tao merely shook his head as a blush spread over his elegant cheeks. He ducked his head and brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. He mumbled something incoherently, and Yifan requested him to speak louder.

 

With a blushing face and reddened ears, Tao answered him. “I-I volunteered to come. You see, I was worried about you being alone, so I told him that I wouldn't mind spending time with you. I already told you I have the day off. I got the medicines too, though I don't know if they're the ones you usually take.”

 

Yifan's spirits were lifted when he heard that. He had not imagined the other to care so much for him. After their previous meeting, Yifan was sure that Tao would forget him, but it seemed like forgetting was the last thing on his mind.

 

“That's really nice of you, Tao. Thank you, I appreciate it,” he said warmly. It was truth, though. Tao's presence suddenly made his illness a little bearable. The boy was still staring at the floor, but he bobbed his head once and smiled a little.

 

He looked so cute that Yifan wanted to kneel down beside him and embrace him. He got a grip over his emotions as he cleared his throat. “So, what do you want to do now?” He asked with a smile as he adjusted the blankets around him.

 

Tao looked around the apartment for a moment before his eyes fell on the television. The program had been paused and it looked like a documentary of some kind. He began searching for the remote, when Yifan silently offered it to him. He took it with a smile and pressed on the resume button.

 

A booming voice speaking in English filled the apartment and images of space and universe suddenly filled the television. Tao grunted in disinterest as he turned to Yifan with raised brows. Yifan merely shrugged before he snuggled deeper into his blankets.

 

“You like these kind of things?” Tao asked in simple curiosity. Yifan found himself nodding weakly before he yawned. He settled against the cushions of the couch and brought his feet up. “I love documentaries and programs related to space. I bought a bunch of CD's online, and I watch it whenever I'm free. The show right now is Cosmos,” he said with a hoarse voice, but his face displayed how happy the topic made him.

 

Tao nodded absently and turned his attention to the gentle voice coming from the television droning about space theories. After a moment or two he heard Tao whine about changing CD's, so he gave in and told him to decide on a movie to watch. This led to Tao letting out an excited squeal, which made Yifan's heart skip over a few beats.

 

Yifan slowly rested his head against the hand rest and felt his eyes droop. Tao discovered the box of movies that was kept underneath the table, and he was soon deciding on a movie by removing the CD's, one by one, and asking Yifan's opinion. So tired was Yifan, that halfway through Tao's rant about his horrible movie choices, he fell asleep.

 

He awoke to the smell of broth and basil leaves. He could hear a slight sizzling sound which was accompanied by the soft voice of Tao. Was Tao cooking?

 

He blearily opened his eyes and looked around his living room. His television was switched off, and there was a glass of water placed on the table. Yifan slowly got up and rubbed his eyes a little to wipe away the remnants of his nap. The blanket fell off of his shoulder, and he glanced at the fabric with a quizzical look. His mind was too tired to decipher anything, so he reached forward and grabbed the glass of water.

 

After gulping down the contents of the glass, he moved to place the glass over the table. He felt a moment of disorientation, and he unintentionally brought down the glass with force, which led to a loud sound.

 

Yifan flinched and glanced towards the general direction of the kitchen, hoping he hadn’t startled the young boy. He made it to his feet and was about to call out to Tao, when the latter entered the living room with hurried steps. He glanced once at the empty glass, and then at Yifan.

 

“Ah, you’re up,” Tao announced. His face was scrunched up in worry as he approached Yifan, wearing Jongin’s apron no less. He looked about the elder with curious eyes.

 

“Yeah, I woke up. I-I accidentally placed the glass to hard on the table,” Yifan replied with a sheepish smile. He heard a sigh of relief leave the younger one as he shook his head with a smile.

 

“Honestly Gege, I didn’t know you were this clumsy,” he said with a chuckle. Yifan pouted at this and scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. He had no intention of making a fool out of himself in front of Tao once more.

 

“Yah, don’t make fun of your elders,” he chastised him playfully. This led to a roar of high-pitched laughter from the younger one. The carefree sound made Yifan’s entire body feel warm from the inside. He could not help but smile at the young man.

 

“Were you cooking something for me?” He asked, gesturing with his chin towards the kitchen. Tao smiled shyly at him and nodded. He wordlessly turned around and walked into the kitchen, only glancing backwards to make sure Yifan followed him.

 

Yifan dragged a stool and sat by the counter-top, while Tao fetched a bowl and filled it with soup. He placed the ceramic bowl in front of Yifan and nodded at him to eat.

 

The soup did not look so appetizing to him, given its bland brown color, but Tao offered him a spoon and looked at him expectantly. Yifan’s disgust for the soup must have shown on his face, because Tao immediately spoke to defend his cooking.

 

“The soup may look like dishwater, but I assure you it is filled with flavor. I even improvised by adding some chicken broth and few chopped vegetables. Go on, try it,” he said with a reassuring smile.

 

Yifan could not resist such an earnest request, and so he grabbed the spoon and took a taste. His eyes widened when he felt a mini explosion of flavors in his mouth. There was the taste of basil, but there was also a hint of spices and the aforementioned chicken broth. He smacked his lips and took more sips. This time, he could taste the soft, yet firm vegetables in the soup and he almost teared up at how  delicious it was.

 

He did not even look up once as he finished his soup. Once he was done, he went in for seconds, which Tao gladly served him with a blinding smile. After he was done with his second bowl of soup, he looked at Tao with a satisfied smile.

 

“Tao, that tasted exactly like the soup my mom makes at home. It was so tasty. Thank you,” he said with happiness. Tao blushed hearing it and he ducked his head in acknowledgement.

 

“I-It’s nothing, actually. I asked my dad for some advice, and he was the one who suggested that I make it. He even helped me with the recipe,” explained Tao with a bashful smile. “I just wanted to do something nice for you,” he said and his eyes locked Yifan’s in a sincere gaze.

 

“When you fell asleep I covered you with a blanket and decided to leave. Then, when I went to the kitchen, I saw that there was no food for you to eat,” Tao said with a reddening face, “So, I decided to cook something for you, just in case you were hungry. Then, I didn’t know what you would like, so I ended up making soup,” he said, averting his eyes once more.

 

Yifan felt his heart swell as he heard his words. He had not expected such kindness from his roommate’s boyfriend, but it had warmed his heart, nonetheless. He leaned forward and brushed his fingers against Tao’s, which were resting on the table in front of him.

 

Tao’s eyes widened a fraction, and now even his ears turned red. It was all too amusing to the elder to elicit such innocent responses from the younger one. “I’m glad you cooked for me. I didn’t know you cared so,” he whispered softly, looking directly into Tao’s eyes.

 

They held each other gazes for a few seconds until Tao looked away. He shook his head by a fraction and gently pulled his fingers away from Yifan’s. “It’s just that I don’t like seeing people sick. Plus, Jongin begged me to take care of you,” he replied.

 

A ripple of disappointment went over Yifan as he heard his answer. It was not like he expected Tao to outright tell him that he cared for him. He also had no right to expect such feelings from the younger, given the fact that he was _Jongin’s boyfriend_.

 

Yifan cleared his throat and straightened in his stool. He fiddled with the spoon for a moment before Tao broke the silence.

 

“Jongin told me you’re a professor. What subject do you teach?”

 

The question was out of the blue for Yifan and his brows raised an inch before he replied. “I teach physics at K university. And I also teach English  at a private institute,” he replied with a smile.

 

Tao looked impressed at that. His mouth formed a small ‘O’ as he nodded his head at the information he had received. “Are you fluent in English, Ge?”

 

Yifan nodded and went on to explain that he had lived in Canada all his life, and that speaking English was almost like speaking Chinese. He was comfortable with both the languages, and he enjoyed teaching it to the students.

 

“If you were fond of English, why then did you take up physics?” he asked with a frown. Yifan had always loved to answer this particular question. He answered it with a grin on his face. “It’s because I love it. I was always fascinated about space and stuff when I was a kid. Unfortunately, my mother refused me my dream of going to space, so I decided to study about it instead. I graduated with a degree in physics, and I did my master studies in astrophysics. While I still haven’t decided what to do, I didn’t want to waste my time, so I joined the university.”

 

Yifan chuckled at Tao’s awestruck expression. Soon his ears started to burn as Tao continued to look at him as if he was some monument. He cleared his throat and decided to question Tao instead.

 

“What about you? The last time we met I couldn’t properly ask you about your work,” he said. Tao let out a chuckle and scratched his neck in awkwardness.

 

“What’s there to say? I studied some business courses while I mastered the art of Wushu. I also learned other forms of martial arts from my master back in Qingdao and received certificates. When I visited Korea on vacation, I witnessed a girl being threatened by a robber. I came to her rescue and I knocked the ass down, but it made me think. I didn’t want anyone feeling helpless, so I decided to set up a self defense center where people of all ages could learn to defend themselves,” he explained with a distant look in his eyes.

 

Yifan began to see Tao in a whole different light. When he was talking about his livelihood, he was filled with passion and energy. There was a steady fire glowing in Tao’s eyes as he explained his humble beginnings in Korea. He had emigrated to the city of Seoul and had setup his dojo. The going was tough in the beginning, but soon he found that there were many people who were eager to enroll.

 

He had even set up another dojo just to teach Wushu to the little kids. He had hired other trainers also, and now he was slowly climbing the ladders of success. Yifan had gazed at the younger one with a fond smile as he had recounted the path of his life till now.

 

“You’re really something else, Taozi,” he blurted out. He immediately regretted using the pet name as the other one scowled at him.

 

“Taozi? Well, it’s the first I’ve been called that, but I think it’s okay. Just don’t teach it to Jongin or say it out loud,” he muttered with a frown. Yifan wanted to apologize, but then he thought better of it and decided to shut up.

 

“So, you’re really not to be messed with, eh?” Yifan teased in good humor. It seemed to work, because the next moment Tao let out a laughter and glanced upwards.

 

“Oh, everyone thinks I’m bad-ass, but I’m actually a scaredy-cat,” he confessed with a mischievous smile. Yifan chuckled hearing this and it turned into a coughing fit. Tao let out a grunt and immediately made his way to Yifan. He rubbed Yifan’s back soothingly as the latter clutched his chest and coughed harshly for a few moments.

 

When he was better, he took Tao’s help to return to the couch. He was still tired and weak due to the flu, and as much as he wanted to talk with Tao, he was tired. He laid back onto the couch and pulled the blankets over himself. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm his lungs.

 

He was on the verge of drifting off to sleep when he heard the tell tale sound of Carl Sagan reach his ears. He opened one eye and found Tao sitting on the floor in front of the TV. An episode of cosmos was playing, and Tao’s body was leaning towards the television in obvious interest. For some reason, Yifan felt a strange emotion bloom in his chest.

 

As he was drawn further into slumber, he did not know if such emotions were appropriate or not.

 

* * *

  


After that, whenever Jongin had a date with Tao, the latter would come early and spend his time talking with Yifan.

 

The two Chinese boys had grown close to each other and by the time Tao’s birthday arrived, they had known each other for nearly two months. Yifan felt like he knew more about Tao than Jongin did, but that could be because of his ever growing affection for the young boy.

 

When Yifan had told Tao that there were no hard feelings between them, he had not factored his own emotions. He had a steady liking towards Tao, and he had unintentionally flirted with him many times. And Tao had been responsive to it every time he had flirted, which had ruined Yifan in several ways.   

 

Yifan wracked his mind trying to think of a gift that conveyed how much he cared for him, yet did not seem too much. He had gone to Luhan and asked him for advise, but the elder had only laughed at his predicament.

 

Yifan had some ideas about a gift for Tao, but he wondered if it was appropriate. In the end, he bought the antique gift he had originally planned to buy, and he had wrapped it up as neatly as he could.

 

A day before his birthday, Yifan discussed it with Jongin. He was shocked to realize, however, that Jongin had got no present for Tao. He had forgotten about it all, and he had no time to shop for presents. The shifts at the hospital were strenuous on him, and he had not found time to sleep properly, let alone shop for his boyfriend.

 

Yifan did not know what to do, and he ached to see Jongin so dejected. With a heavy heart, he offered his own gift to Jongin.

 

“You can give my gift to him. It doesn’t matter if you or I give it,” he said with a half-hearted smile. Jongin refused outright and started to protest, but Yifan gently shushed him. He placed a hand over his shoulder and squeezed it.

 

‘It’s okay, Nini. Give it to him, he’ll like it. It’s a pair of vintage nunchucks, and some other antique stuff. You’ve watched action movies, right?” he asked him in a gentle manner. Jongin nodded reluctantly.

 

“Just don’t go into specifics. Tell him you saw this in an antique store and you bought it for him, given the fact that he loves martial arts,” Yifan explained. Jongin nodded once more and he embraced Yifan, thanking him for saving his relationship.

 

Yifan had no idea where the two stood with each other. He knew they had slept with each other once, but they were not intimate with each other in front of others. They never kissed, and the most they did was hold hands. It bothered Yifan a lot when they looked at each other with fondness.

 

And he hated feeling that way, because he did not want to hurt Jongin or ruin his relationship.

 

The next day, Jongin had left early and he was nowhere to be seen when Yifan awoke. He had explained, in a note, that he had taken the day off to spend it with Tao.

 

Yifan felt a pang in his heart as he read that. Yifan never wished bad for them, but he also did not know what to do with the feelings that he was harboring for Tao.

 

He thought about the ‘wushu panda’, as they all called him, at odd times of the day. He would be teaching in class, and suddenly he would think about Tao. He would wonder what he was doing, and if he was busy teaching people how to defend themselves. He also thought about him at night. He wondered how it would feel to have the boy in his arms, how it would feel to stay up the night, talking and laughing with him.

 

Jongin often told him that Tao was talkative once he became close. He would also tell the elder that Tao was the one who did most of the talking. It was things like these that struck a chord in Yifan.

 

Sometimes when Yifan and Tao would converse, be it when he waited for Jongin to get ready or when he dropped by just to say hi, they would share deep secrets to each other. For instance, Tao had told him that he was bullied in school for his love for cosmetics. The other boys and girls had verbally abused him until he'd burst into tears, but as he had grown taller and stronger, the bullies knew better than to torment him.

 

Yifan had shared a few of his failed relationships with Tao. He had told him about his first lover, whom he had met in Korea. Junmyeon had been an amazing boyfriend and they had ended it on good terms too. He had confessed to Tao, that even now he went to Junmyeon when he was confused about things. He had also told him about Chanyeol, his most recent ex-boyfriend.

 

Tao had offered sympathies when he had heard about his horrible break-up with Chanyeol. The latter had cheated on Yifan with another boy called Baekhyun, who had been Chanyeol's childhood friend. It had been a bitter one, and it made him feel sad to this day. 

 

Tao had also told him about how much he missed his parents and his family. While he had a successful life in Seoul, he went through bouts of sadness when he would feel homesick. On those days, he desperately craved the company of people close to him. He had met Jongin on such a day, and after Jongin had made him feel better, he had asked him out.

 

Such things had been shared amongst them, and Yifan had felt like he had known Tao for years.

 

He brought himself back to the present in order to escape such memories. He re-read the letter several times before he crumpled it up and threw it in the bin. He had to do something about his feelings, otherwise it would only lead to more pain.

 

He only hoped that Tao appreciated the gift. He had decided on gifting something memorable, and at first, he had thought about giving him some product of Gucci. Then, he realized that would mean that he would be subjected to eternal whining from Jongin (who was also Gucci obsessed), as Yifan never got him Gucci stuff. In the end, he had settled to buying him some martial arts collectibles. He had heard Tao talk in great detail, about how he wanted to hang some vintage collectibles in his dojo.

 

He had researched about it and he had found a shop, not in Seoul, but in the outskirts of Seoul. The shop had a lot of antiquities, but Yifan was still not satisfied. The shop owner, a man in his thirties, was kind enough to tell him about a certain pair of nun-chucks and shuriken darts, that belonged to one of the warriors of some ancient dynasty. The shop owner’s father had it as a family heirloom, but now he had no idea what to do with it.

 

Yifan had been ready to pay the money for it, but after explaining his reason to buy it, the shop owner had offered it for a reasonable sum. He had taken Yifan to his home where he had met the old man. The old man had shared some stories, and he had even given certain scriptures attributed to the martial arts of that period.

 

Yifan had been elated when he had returned home that day. The nun-chucks and the shuriken were elegantly designed. They were made of wood and steel, with a dragon engraved on the wooden handle of the nun-chucks. The shuriken was made of gold and it had a star engraved on it. Yifan had placed them in a wooden box and had wrapped it up, praying that Tao liked it.

 

That night, Yifan waited patiently for Jongin’s arrival. He did not mind staying up late, but he wanted to know Tao’s reaction for the gift. _His gift_ , he told himself.

 

He was surprised, however, when Jongin entered the house with Tao in tow. Yifan felt a spark of lust go down his body as he took in Tao’s dolled up appearance.

 

He had worn tight-fitting black jeans that hugged the muscles of thighs. He was wearing a short sleeved white shirt that had the top buttons open, revealing a toned chest and a long neck. Yifan wanted to sink his teeth in over his skin and leave marks. His eyes then roved over the black leather jacket clutched in his hand, and Yifan was sure that Tao’s entire existence ruined his poor, poor heart.

 

The most compelling feature though, was his eyes. They were lined with black liner, and his eyelids were dusted with a dark powder, giving a very sultry look. There were some intricate designs drawn over one side of his eye and it added up to his dark sexy look. The make-up he had applied was barely noticeable, but his gloss-covered lips were screaming to be kissed. His hair was gelled upwards, and it made his hair sparkle in the light.

 

All in all, he was inducing painful stutters in Yifan’s heart, and in his pants. He mentally pushed away such thoughts and calmed his raging heart.

 

Tao, for some reason, smiled at Yifan so brightly, that for one moment Yifan thought he was drunk. “You guys are back so soon?” He questioned Jongin. The younger one shrugged his shoulders and smiled at him. “Tao-hyung wanted to go to a club, so I have to dress appropriately. I can’t go to a club looking like a loser when he’s dressed up sexily,” he remarked, throwing a wink at the smiling Tao.

 

Yifan simply shook his head and pushed Jongin towards the bedroom. He then gestured for Tao to sit. The younger one shook his head and tucked his free hand into his pocket. He kept stealing glances at Yifan, which made the latter feel uncomfortable.

 

‘Happy Birthday, Taozi. I hope you had a good birthday,” wished Yifan with the warmest smile he could muster. Tao bit his lip and nodded once more at Yifan.

 

The blonde then went to the kitchen to retrieve the bouquet of flowers he had got for Tao, and he shyly offered it to him, wishing him again.

 

Tao’s eyes teared a little at the gift, and he thanked Yifan generously. He then gave Yifan a strange look and cleared his throat.

 

“I want to thank you for giving me such a thoughtful gift, Gege,” he began. Yifan shrugged his shoulders, but Tao continued to talk. “Not for the flowers. I meant the nun-chucks and shuriken.”

 

Yifan froze in his spot. The blood drained from his face when he heard that. He quickly tried to act nonchalant, but Tao beat him to it.

 

“What are you ta-”

 

“Don’t act innocent. I know you got it for me, even if Jongin was the one who gave it to me. It had to be you,” he affirmed with a frown. Yifan asked him why he thought so, which led Tao to release a soft chuckle.

 

“When the idiot gave me the gift, he told me that since I loved watching Bruce Lee movies, I would appreciate the gift. I got the feeling that he had no idea how aesthetically important the gift was,” he said, and Yifan felt like slapping some sense into Jongin. “Then, I remembered telling you that I wanted antiques to hang in my dojo, and I thought maybe you had something to do with it. Try denying now, that you bought it for me ,” he challenged with a smirk.

 

Yifan continued to gape at him, and Tao took a couple of steps towards him. “For what it was worth, I really really love the gift. I’ve already decided where to hang it,” he whispered in excitement.

 

Yifan let his shoulders sag and he let out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, I got it for you. I let Jongin give it because he had no gift to give you.”

 

Tao shuffled closer to Yifan and looked up into his eyes, his face slowly losing the smirk. “It could not have been easy to obtain this piece of treasure,” he whispered in a low voice. He was close enough for Yifan to trace the faint smell of his expensive perfume. Underlying that, was the smell of sweat and something truly unique to Tao.

 

Yifan looked down into dark eyes and found himself downing in them. His hands itched to touch Tao’s skin, to feel the quiver of muscles as he caressed him, but he had to refrain himself from any of that. “It wasn’t easy,” he said and paused for a moment as he fought with himself to control his emotions, before continuing in an equally low voice, “But, I’d do it for Jongin.”

 

At the mention of Jongin, both of them seem to realize their proximity, and they moved away from each other. Tao took several steps backwards as he looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously. After several seconds, he finally met Yifan’s eyes and there was a hint of sadness and regret in them.

 

“Yeah, I know. You really like him, don’t you?” He asked Yifan in a hollow voice with a hollow smile. Yifan’s eyes betrayed his sadness as he replied with a bittersweet tone.

 

“He’s like my little brother. I’d do anything for him,” he admitted. His voice lacked conviction, but he knew that for Jongin, he’d even swallow his feelings. Even if it meant that he had to endure the throes of heartbreak once more.

 

Yifan was pathetic, or so he told himself. He shared a look of longing with Tao, and it made him wonder just what the boy was thinking. Did he like Yifan back? Was he attracted to Yifan?

 

He had many questions in his mind for which he wanted answers, but he was also scared to ask them aloud. He did not want it to cause trouble for Jongin, so he promptly kept his feelings to himself. A tiny part of him was happy that Tao liked the gift. He had put all of his efforts into finding that one antique for him, and it had made Yifan’s heart flutter to know the obvious joy it had brought.

 

He was thankful when Jongin returned back, yelling apologies to Tao. The latter barely smiled at him, but he put on his jacket. Jongin bid farewell to Yifan and made his way out of the house.

 

Tao glanced once more at Yifan with an unfathomable expression. He gave him a soft smile and ducked his head. “Thank you, Yifan-ge, for your lovely present. I shall cherish it,” he said softly, before he closed the door and left Yifan alone in the big apartment.

 

Yifan let out a sigh and sank into the couch. He clutched his chest and took deep breaths, trying to soothe the ache in his heart.

 

He _wanted_. He desired. And what he desired, he could not have. That night he did not sleep even after Jongin had returned home, but he did see Jongin sitting in the kitchen at one a.m. in the morning, texting someone with a smile on his face. He already knew that Tao was an early-sleeper, so he wondered who it was that Jongin was texting. He decided to himself to ask Jongin in the morning, and he went back to bed.

  


* * *

 

The next few days were extremely busy for Yifan. Being an associate professor meant that he had more responsibilities than an assistant professor. He had suddenly found himself loaded with classes and exams to conduct, as his superior was down with some illness.

 

On those days, Tao and him barely exchanged a few words in meeting. After hanging the antiques in his dojo, Tao had promptly invited Yifan to come and visit him. The elder one had assured him that he would try and visit as soon as his superior was back.

 

Yifan witnessed the younger one grow distant as he busied himself with work. In a way, Yifan was sad that he could not spend time with Tao the way he used to. He did not take breaks even on weekends, working himself into overdrive. He was always passionate in his work, and most of the evenings he found himself tutoring some student or the other.

 

It was on one such evening, after Yifan had bid farewell to his students, that Luhan invited himself over to his house. Jongin was out that day with some long lost friend of his, and Yifan was glad for that. Jongin was a walking distraction to most of his students, given how handsome he was.

 

Yifan glowered at the elder's presence and he scowled at the happy aura that perpetually surrounded Luhan. He was wearing a black shiny button-down shirt, which had no sleeves, and black leather pants. His blonde hair, however, was not styled in any way. He looked extremely hot and Yifan wondered what the occasion was.

 

Upon seeing the sour expression on his face, Luhan rolled his eyes and entered the apartment. He plopped himself over Yifan's couch and glanced at the various papers and books lying about. He picked up one sheet and tried to make sense of the various formulas and theories. Yifan scoffed at him and sat down next to the blonde on the couch. He snatched the sheet from Luhan's grip, eliciting a sound of protest from the latter.

 

“Someone's being a jerk today, huh? What's wrong, fanfan? Did one of the kids make a pass at you?” He asked with a smirk.

 

Yifan's face turned scandalous at that, and he spluttered to form a reply. “W-what the hell are you talking about? I'm sure my students won't do any such things.”

 

Luhan merely rolled his eyes and looked at his nails. “So you say,” he said vaguely. “So I know!” Yifan said firmly. Luhan let out a peal of laughter at Yifan’s expression. He caught the taller one’s chin between his thumb and his index finger and gave it a squeeze.

 

“You’re so easy to rile, kid. Now, go dress up. We’re going to a club tonight,” he announced. Yifan stared at him for a few minutes in a dumbfounded silence until he broke the silence. “You’re joking, right? Please tell me you are,” he whispered.

 

Luhan’s eyes widened with surprise at his question. He sat up straight and waved towards his bedroom. “Of course I’m being serious. Go and dress up,” he urged him. Yifan continued to look at him until the elder began swatting his head.

 

“Okay, okay I’m going. Jeez, so troublesome,” complained Yifan as he got to his feet and made his way to the bedroom. As he was rummaging through his wardrobe he heard Luhan yell once more.

 

“Wear something that makes you look sexy. I don't want you wearing any of your old man clothes.”

 

Yifan growled under his breath and screamed back. “If you’re gonna insult me, you might as well go by yourself!”

 

A minute later, Luhan bounded into his room with his face twisted into a frown. Yifan turned to him with a blank expression and held out a pair of black jeans. He then took out a dark grey cashmere pullover with a white collar and held it next to the jeans. He then raised his brows at Luhan, who just smiled and raised his thumbs in approval.

 

As he undressed himself and began to put on his outfit, Luhan made himself comfortable on Yifan’s bed. “Tell me why are we going out tonight?” Yifan asked casually, as he pulled up his black jeans.

 

Luhan shrugged his shoulders and fiddled with the blankets sprawled on the bed. Yifan looked at the elder’s reflection in the mirror and rolled his eyes. “Spill the beans, Gege. Why are we going to this club?” He pressed again and this time he heard Luhan sigh.

 

“Do you remember that cute guy I met at the hospital?” He asked in an unsure voice. Yifan nodded as he remembered Luhan mentioning a young man he had met at the hospital. It had been nearly two months ago, when Luhan had met this boy, Sehun something. He was the brother of one of Luhan’s patients and the elder one had been smitten by him since then. They had met several times already, and now Luhan wanted to make a move.

 

“Yeah, you always keep talking about him,” he replied with a smile. Luhan blushed hearing his words and he cleared his throat. “So he invited me to this club opening, and well, I couldn’t refuse. He told me I could bring someone with me, so I decided to take you with me. I’d have taken Minseok, but he’s out with Jongdae today, so I didn’t want to disturb him.”

 

Minseok was Luhan’s neighbor and Yifan’s colleague. He taught mathematics at the University and was an expert at it. Minseok’s boyfriend of four years, Jongdae, was an artist who had gained quite some fame in Seoul. They hardly had time to hang out, given Jongdae’s busy schedule, so their friends had no issues if Minseok skipped out on such occasions.

 

Yifan was nearly done dressing up. He wore his favorite converse and turned towards the elder. He had set his hair in the way he used to do when he was younger. Seeing the hairstyle, Luhan smiled at him.

 

“I see you’re going with that hairstyle you used to do back when we were in college,” he remarked. Yifan gave him a gummy smile as he felt happy that the elder remembered.

 

He had styled his hair in a way that it resembled a pompadour undercut. His hair was parted at three-quarters and it was stylishly drawn back and clipped together to form a tiny little ponytail that stood upright at the back of his head. His undercut was not prominent as he had not maintained it, given the fact that he was an associate professor and all. But it was still fine and he liked what he saw in the mirror. He had to admit to himself that he looked younger than his actual age of twenty-eight.

 

“Well, I’m gonna be thirty in two years, might as well enjoy my last few years of youth,” he said with a scoff. Luhan nodded in agreement and he stood up. He walked to Yifan’s drawers and opened them, muttering that he would select earrings.

 

After a minute of searching, he held up a pair of silver studs, which Yifan gladly took. He then took the liner that was lying on the bed and he gestured for Yifan to sit on the bed. He then contoured the edges of Yifan's eyes with a bit of liner. Then he took a step back to look at Yifan.

 

“Ah, Yifan. If I did not have feelings for Sehun-ah I would have wanted to jump you right now,” he admitted with a flirtatious wink. Yifan’s face turned red at that and he swatted at Luhan.

 

“Come now, Gege, don’t make fun of me,” he said without humor but Luhan reassured him of his good looks.

 

The two boys left the apartment and made their way to the club in Yifan’s car. They spoke more about their work and private life. Yifan told Luhan about his gradually developing feelings for Tao, and the elder felt sad hearing about it.

 

“Can’t you talk to Jongin about this? He’s a good kid, he’d understand your situation,” he said as they were entering the club. Yifan shook his head and leaned down towards Luhan. “It’s no use. They like each other. Besides, I don’t know what Tao feels about all this.”

 

The club was big and there were quite a few people in it, already dancing to the loud songs. They moved past dancing bodies and sighed in relief when they neared the bar counter. The lighting was dim, but the bar was lighted with blue neon lights. Bottles of different alcohol were placed in rows behind the counter and there were some cool pictures hung about.

 

There was another floor on top, where there were small tables meant for couples or a small group of people. It was less crowded upstairs, and Yifan saw handsome waiters move about, serving food and drinks. He personally loved the music that was playing in the club. He was a fan of hip-hop music and while Korea was not extremely into it, there was a lot of pop music produced nowadays, with youngsters falling head over heels for their idols.

 

Jongin loved to play such music and he was surprised that he could recognize few of the songs. He began to gently sway with the music when his attention fell on a familiar face in the crowd. The darkness of the club made it difficult for him to recognize the person, but before he could venture further, he felt Luhan tugging on his sleeve.

 

“Fanfan, I can’t see Sehun anywhere! He told me he’d be there by nine, and it’s nearly nine-thirty! Where is he!”

 

Luhan was frantic, and he was looking everywhere for his crush. Yifan had no idea how Sehun looked, so he was helpless at the moment. His eyes were once more drawn towards the familiar face in the crowd, and this time the disco lights fell over said person. Yifan let out a gasp as he recognized the boy.

 

It was Zitao. Huang Zitao _, the source of Yifan’s heartache_ , was dancing amongst the crowd with another boy who was nearly as tall as him. Yifan’s eyes were glued to Tao’s form as he swayed with the upbeat music. He faintly tapped Luhan’s shoulder and drew his attention.

 

“Ge, it’s Zitao,” he murmured. Luhan’s face snapped to him and he clutched onto Yifan. “Where? Where is he? Show me,” he said. Yifan pointed towards where Tao was dancing, and this time Luhan was the one who let out a squeak.

 

“That’s Sehunie right there! Oh my God, don’t tell me that’s Tao dancing with him,” he said in an excited voice. Yifan could only nod as the two of them glanced in their direction and began whispering among themselves. Then, they made their way to the bar, pushing through the dancing crowd.

 

Luhan frantically turned around and faced the bar. Yifan saw the elder lay his head on the bar counter as the other two approached them. Yifan straightened his shoulders and stood to his full height.

 

He smiled at Tao as they neared and Yifan felt his smile freeze in place as he took in Tao’s appearance. Tao was wearing another sleeveless shirt, but this one was gray in color. His pants were white in color and it looked like it had been painted on. It highlighted his muscular thighs, and Yifan wanted to feel them against his. He belatedly realized that having such thoughts about his roommate's boyfriend was not morally right, but Tao's physique screamed to be noticed.

 

Tao’s hair was styled upwards, and his eyes were heavily lined with kohl. His cat-like eyes, however, were now moving down Yifan’s body in an appreciating manner. Yifan felt a spark of excitement when Tao’s cheeks visibly darkened. He cleared his throat and quickly moved his eyes back to Yifan’s face.

 

“Yifan-ge, what a coincidence!” he exclaimed with a chuckle. Yifan also let out a laugh and he pointed towards Luhan, who was still laying his head on the bar counter. He clutched the fabric of Luhan’s shirt and tugged harshly on it, which made the elder one turn around.

 

“I came with Luhan-ge here. He invited me to the club opening. What are you doing here?” he asked with an innocent expression. Tao pointed to the boy standing next to him and smiled.

 

“I came with my friend. Sehun-ah, this is Wu Kris Yifan. Gege, this is my best friend and the most annoying neighbor, Oh Sehun.”

 

The two bowed to each other and introduced themselves. The boy, Sehun, was as tall as Tao, with dark hair and a mature face. His voice was deep and gravelly, a quality that Yifan liked, and he was dressed up in an all black outfit. His handshake was firm and Yifan noted with amusement, that his eyes were gravitating towards Luhan.

 

Yifan grinned and pushed Luhan forward as he introduced his friend to Tao. “Taozi, this is Xi Luhan. Lu-ge, this is Huang Zitao,” he said. Luhan snapped back to reality and Yifan stifled a giggle when Luhan stuttered.

 

“T-Taozi, nice to meet you,” he blurted. A pout formed on Tao’s face at the usage of his pet name and he threw an accusatory glance at Yifan. “Ge, I told you not to call me by that name in public!”

 

Luhan’s face paled when he heard that and he quickly apologized to Tao, bowing several times. This made Yifan burst out in laughter. Sehun looked like he was trying to hold in his laughter, but he finally chuckled when he saw Tao’s face.

 

“You have to admit that it's funny, and cute!” Sehun said with a smile. Tao pouted even more and glared at Yifan. He then sat on a bar stool, crossing his legs and turning away from them. Yifan was a little surprised seeing this side of him, but then he found it endearing. Sehun only rolled his eyes at his behavior.

 

Yifan walked up to him and stood facing him. Tao was glancing at the neon lit bar counter with a somber expression on his face. Yifan gently tugged on his wrist, drawing his attention. He then pressed both his palms together in a sign of apology, and Tao's face softened a little.

 

Luhan, who was watching the entire ordeal with observant eyes, noticed this and let out a guffaw. Tao let out a sigh and turned away from him once more. Yifan glared at the eldest among them who was still laughing silently.

 

“Ah, come now Tao, don't take it seriously. Luhan-ge here is extremely shy around Sehun, you know, because he likes him and all, so he messed up his words. Isn't that right, Gege?” He asked with a vindictive smile, turning towards Luhan.

 

“Eh? He's shy around me?” Came the instant reply from Sehun, who was standing on Tao's other side. Yifan could not see Sehun's expression, but he was sure the young boy was smirking.

 

Luhan's eyes widened to the size of saucers and he literally looked liked a deer in front of the  headlights. His mouth opened and closed several times before he formed a response. “I-I am not shy,” he managed to whisper. Sehun chuckled hearing that, and he turned towards Tao, who was still staring at the bar counter.

 

Yifan found himself on the receiving end of Luhan's glare, but he returned it with a grin, even going so far to wag his brows at the elder. Tao noticed and he sent Yifan a heart warming smile. Luhan focused on Sehun once more as the youngest began talking to him in hushed tones.

 

Tao leaned closer and jerked a thumb towards the two boys beside him. Yifan rested his elbows on the bar counter and leaned towards the dark haired boy. “Does Luhan-ssi actually like Sehun?” He whispered. Yifan felt his hairs stand on end when he heard Tao's low voice. He prevented himself from reacting to that, and he turned his head to the side.

 

He drew in a breath when he realized how close he was to Tao. The latter also seemed to notice their proximity at the same time as he unconsciously moved away a fraction of an inch. His gaze flitted once to Yifan's lips and then raised it to his eyes.

 

Yifan swallowed once and cleared his mind. “Uh, yeah. In the past few weeks, Sehun is _all_ that he has been talking about. He's crazy about him,” he said, shaking his head. Tao hummed next to him and he turned around to face the dance floor. He placed his elbows on the counter and bumped shoulders with Yifan, making the latter eye him.

 

“How about we get them together?” Asked Tao with a wicked smile. Yifan scoffed. He looked to the side where Sehun and Luhan stood, both of them red faced, talking softly. “I think Luhan-ge will make his move soon. That's the only reason he's here,” he said.

 

Tao groaned next to him and ran a hand through his hair. “Ge, does he plan to do it anytime within this year? Because I can't tolerate Sehun's bitching anymore,” he whined.

 

Yifan snickered next to him, which earned a smack on the shoulder from the younger one. He was about to reply to Tao, when he heard his name being called by a person he hadn't heard from in a long time. As he turned towards the newcomer, he felt a smile grow on his face, for it was none other than his ex-boyfriend, and one of his good friends, Kim Junmyeon.

 

* * *

  


Tao did not mean to whine to Yifan, but he really could not help but complain in front of the latter. They were discussing about getting Sehun and Luhan together when two guys, one wearing a dark hoodie and another one wearing formal clothes, approached them. One of them called out Yifan's name and he smiled seeing Yifan's reaction.

 

“Kris-hyung? Oh my God, it is you! How have you been?” said the stranger.

 

Tao straightened himself and glanced at Yifan. He was surprised to see a gummy smile spread over Yifan's face. He had never seen such a bright smile from the elder, and he was not ashamed to say that he felt envious of the man for drawing such a reaction from him, while Tao, with all of his antics, was not even able to make him smile.

 

He stood in his place as Yifan moved ahead to hug the shorter guy. The shorter guy's partner shook hands with Yifan as he pulled down the hood of his shirt. Tao's eyes widen momentarily as he recognized the guy.

 

He stumbled forward and gestured towards the taller among the duo. “You're Zhang Yixing, the famous music producer! Oh, I'm your biggest fan!” He exclaimed with wide eyes.

 

Yifan gave him a surprised look, but he nevertheless tugged him forward. “Junmyeon, Yixing, this is Huang Zitao,” he said cheerfully, introducing them. Tao was still in a daze as he shook their hands. The one named Junmyeon had a firm handshake, but his smile was soft.

 

His hands, however, shook a little when he gripped Yixing's hands. The musician grinned at him obviously noticing his nervousness. He quickly pulled up his hoodie once more, hiding his face. “Nice to meet you, Tao. You said you're a fan?”

 

Tao nodded enthusiastically, with a wide smile plastered over his face. He had become a fan of Zhang Yixing's music ever since the first song he had heard that was composed by him. He was not extremely famous, but his fame was spread in many areas of China. Now, he had collaborated with the Seoul artist, Chen a.k.a Kim Jongdae, and they had turned into quite the sensation.

 

“I-I've been a fan of your songs for a long time. I listen to it everyday! Even when I'm practicing Wushu I listen to it,” he said with sincerity. This elicited a genuine smile from Yixing.

 

“Thank you, kid. It's nice to know that one's work is appreciated,” he said in his soothing voice. He then pointed to Junmyeon and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, bringing him close to him.

 

“Half of my inspiration is from this guy here. He's the one who motivates me to do most of my music,” he said with a wide smile. Tao chuckled as Junmyeon blushed and swatted at Yixing. “I’m also the one who makes sure this idiot here eats his meals on time and sleeps before midnight,” Junmyeon said with a cheeky smile.

 

Yixing turned to his lover with a pout as he responded to that. “That doesn't mean you show up at the studio with boxes of lunch! It's embarrassing when you baby me so much in front of the others!”

 

“I wouldn't have to do it every time if you remembered to eat on time like a normal person, which you never do. This leaves me in worry because you drown so much into making music, you forget basic things, like food and showering,” complained Junmyeon.

 

All of them, except Yixing, laughed at this. His lover placed a placating arm around him and drew him close. He placed a kiss over Yixing's cheek. This made his cheeks turn a deep shade of red.

 

“I do eat on time. I mean, I appreciate it when you go out of your way, but I don't want to be an inconvenience,” he said with a sigh.

 

Tao felt like this was an argument that the couple had almost every day. Junmyeon pinched his cheeks gently which made him smile. “You're never an inconvenience to me. I love pampering you, Xing,” he said in a soft voice.

 

They gazed at each other fondly, and Tao remembered reading in an article that Kim Junmyeon had been there with Yixing from the beginning of his career, silently being his support and his rock. He had been to every concert and talk show, even going to his little parties he threw at clubs. He had also warded off hateful comments and rumors, always giving optimistic words to all of his fans. Yixing's fans were obsessed with the couple, even going so far as to calling them a power-couple. It was speculated that Junmyeon and Yixing had been dating from a long time.

 

Standing before them and witnessing their love-filled bickering, he guessed that the speculation was right. He turned to Yifan and found the elder staring at him in a strange way. Tao raised his brows inquisitively, but Yifan only smiled at him.

 

“I didn't know you were Yixing's fan,” he said with a teasing smile. Tao nodded and glanced once more at the music producer, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yes! I've always liked his music. They're so refreshing,” he explained.

 

The blonde nodded in agreement. “I'm sure you'd know this, but he recently collaborated with Jongdae, so he's become quite famous in Seoul too. Both of them are so busy nowadays that they don't even hang out with the rest of us,” he said with a sour expression. Tao nodded along with him until he realized the informal way in which Yifan had addressed Kim Jongdae.

 

He gripped Yifan's sleeve tightly and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “You just called Chen-ssi as 'Jongdae’. Does that mean you know him too?”

 

Yifan grinned. He shrugged his shoulders and looked ahead as Tao began whining again. “Yah, Yifan-ge, when were you planning on telling me that you were friends with some of the greatest artists!!!”

 

Tao pouted even more as Yifan let out a loud chuckle. The latter ruffled Tao's hair, making him scowl deeper, as he shrugged his shoulders once more. “What can I say? I met them through my friends. I met Yixing because of Junmyeon, and I know Jongdae because he's dating my neighbor, Kim Minseok. We've been friends before they attained their fame, so it's not like we go around telling new people that we know famous artists,” he explained patiently.

 

Tao let out a sigh and turned to Yifan with wide eyes. “Next time, can I meet Jongdae-ssi?” He pleaded. Yifan smiled at that and pinched his cheek. Tao felt his face warm at the contact, and he averted his eyes in embarrassment.

 

“Ah, Taozi why are you so adorable,” he exclaimed in delight, but then he became serious and continued, “I'll try and make sure you guys meet,” he assured the younger. Tao burst out into a laugh and he wrapped his arms around the taller one. He hugged him for a moment before he stepped back, realizing what he was doing.

 

The hug had felt too good and somehow, Tao felt that he should not have enjoyed it as much as he did. They pulled away from each other rather awkwardly, with Tao letting out a cough and Yifan clearing his throat.

 

Tao shyly glanced up at the elder and found his eyes on him already. They shared a smile and quickly looked away.

 

Tao glanced around and heard an upbeat tune playing throughout the club. He could see people enjoying themselves as they jumped up and down to the music. Suddenly, the chirpy music stopped and another song started. This song sounded like a slow one, and beside him, Yifan let out a groan hearing it. He turned to the elder in confusion.[(x)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfHuoL_aQI8)

 

“Not this song,” he muttered under his breath. In the next moment, Junmyeon and Luhan stood before Yifan with matching grins on their face. Tao looked at Yifan and found him glaring at them. “No, you won't drag me to it,” he said in a low voice.

 

“Oh come on, fanfan, we know you love this song! Come on, we can dance to it like old times!” Luhan said, grabbing one arm of Yifan.

 

Junmyeon grabbed his other arm and roughly tugged him forward. “Yeah, the three of us will do it! Let's show these kids some vintage dance moves, come on,” he said.

 

Yifan's eyes widened with something akin to fright and Tao noticed that Yixing was snickering. The two of them unceremoniously dragged Yifan to the center of the dance floor where they shooed the other dancers in order to give them space.

 

Tao was confused and he spotted Sehun with the same expression on his face. Yixing started clapping and he made his through the crowd, beckoning Tao and Sehun. “Oh I've gotta see this! Come on, guys! Let's cheer them!”

 

A dazed Sehun gripped his wrist and tugged him to the dance floor, where Luhan and Junmyeon stood on either sides of Yifan. “I'm not fucking doing this, it's not my style, damn it,” cursed Yifan loudly, but the music drowned his voice. Junmyeon gave him an exasperated expression, but then he shook his head and began dancing to the tune. Yifan looked around helplessly as his friends danced beside him. Tao caught his eyes and gave him an encouraging smile.

 

The beat suddenly picked up and Tao guessed that it must have been the chorus. Luhan and Junmyeon began first, moving their hips and legs in sync to the song, and a moment later Yifan joined them too, not before letting out a defeated sigh.

 

Tao was frozen to his spot as he watched the trio dance. In fact, all three of them were stunned to silence and inaction as they watched the other three dance.

 

Tao never knew Yifan could dance like this. He watched with his mouth agape as the trio moved forward with zigzag steps, then turned around, only to hip-thrust the air, with Luhan giving a 'come hither’ look to the crowd. Yifan was smiling towards the end of the move, going so far as to roll his eyes at Luhan’s movements.

 

They continued to move to the chorus in a very sensual way, and when the rap part came, they all moved in quick movements, drawing cheers from the crowd witnessing it. Tao felt a smile spread on his face, when Luhan and Yifan paired up at the end of the rap sequence, just as the melody started once more. They held onto each other's elbows and looked at each other. Sehun bristled next to him and Tao only giggled.

 

Luhan detached from Yifan after their little dance and turned to Sehun with a smile. Tao could not see Sehun's reaction because his eyes were on Yifan, who winked at him. Tao grinned at him and nodded his head at him. The chorus resumed again a moment later, and this time Junmyeon repeated the same steps he had when they first started. Yifan and him continued to dance to the music, smiling at each other and making funny faces.

 

The crowd laughed along with them, and the people resumed dancing to the song. As it continued, Yifan moved away from his ex-lover and Tao lost sight of him. His eyes focused on Junmyeon once more. Only this time, he moved to Yixing, who was standing a few feet away from Tao, and pulled him to the dance floor.

 

Tao watched with a smile as the two began dancing in a slow manner, their eyes only on each other and their bodies close. To his side, Luhan approached Sehun with an outstretched hand, silently beckoning him. Sehun numbly took his hand and they too disappeared among the dancing crowd.

 

Tao suddenly felt lonely as he stood there with nobody to dance. He had remembered the way Jongin had danced with him the first time they had met, and he suddenly missed his boyfriend. But nowadays, it seemed that Jongin did not have time for Tao, for they rarely went out.

 

His dark thoughts were cut short when an arm suddenly wrapped around his waist. He turned around in surprise to find some stranger looking down at him with a smile. Tao smiled back and stepped away from him, shaking his head.

 

“You can dance with me, pretty boy. I'll treat you good,” came the soft voice of the stranger. Tao shook his head firmly once again to reaffirm his rejection. Then the smile on the strangers face suddenly disappeared just as Tao felt warmth behind him.

 

“He's gonna be dancing with me for the entirety of the night,” came the gruff reply from none other than Yifan. Tao looked at him gratefully and smiled at him. The stranger gave him a weird look before shrugging his shoulders and moving away from them. Tao turned to the blonde and looked up at him with gratitude. Yifan had a stern expression that was evident even in the dimness of the club.

 

“I can't let anything happen to you,” he said softly, but Tao managed to get catch it. He smiled at Yifan and moved closer to him.

 

Tao's hands were itching to touch Yifan then. He wanted to caress his cheeks and run his fingers through that weirdly styled hair of Yifan. He was glad when Yifan pulled him to the center of the dance floor.

 

“This song is not so bad, I guess,” Yifan reluctantly agreed. Tao laughed beside him in amusement. The chorus of the song came back on once more, and Tao found himself swaying to the slow beat. He looked up and smiled at the elder. “You can really dance, huh? Tonight's full of surprises,” he commented, sending Yifan a smirk.

 

This made the elder one laugh loudly. Tao watched with a smile as Yifan's tall frame shook with humor. “That was something that Luhan-ge, Junmyeon, and I had done for our University's fund raising event. We had danced in the most ridiculous costume, but we managed to raise a lot of money. And also, receive a lot of phone numbers,” he said with a bragging tone.

 

Tao rolled his eyes, but he looked Yifan from head to toe before he replied. “I'm sure you received a lot of numbers, given how handsome you are. And those dance steps were downright provocative,” he said with a teasing glint.

 

Yifan blushed deeply and he ducked his head down. “Actually, I never called any of them. You see, Junmyeon and I were dating back then, so we sort of flirted with each other the entire time we were on the stage. That was what garnered most of the attention. We were brave enough to show the others that we weren't ashamed to love each other.”

 

Tao was surprised at the answer, but his respect and admiration for Yifan only increased. His eyes darted to where Junmyeon and Yixing were dancing, huddled close to each other. Yifan followed his gaze and chuckled.

 

“Junmyeon and I were too alike. And we knew everything about each other to the point where it started getting on our nerves. We decided it was best to break-up. We've been friends, though. He's happy with Yixing now, and I only wish them happiness,” he said with a smile, but Tao could sense the sadness behind his words.

 

Tao's heart ached as he sensed the other's loneliness. He wanted to comfort him and show him that he was worth all the love in the world. That he deserved only the best, but Tao knew he had no right to do that. He could only listen and offer words of comfort.

 

Another song started in the background, and this one was another slow beat song, but he had heard Jongin singing to this song many times. He glanced in surprise as Yifan danced in newfound enthusiasm. Seeing him, even Tao began dancing excitedly.

 

They danced for a few more songs, including one of Yixing’s songs, for which Tao was pumped up. He eyed Yixing, who had his face hidden from the crowd, and made his way to him. He challenged Yixing to dance with him, which earned him a grin and a nod. Amidst the music, he heard Yifan cheering for him, and it made him more determined.

 

What started out as a dance battle soon ended up with the pair dancing together. Tao matched Yixing’s every move, which left even the idol impressed. At the end of the song, they shook hands and laughed it off good naturedly.

 

Tao went back to Yifan with a bright grin and wide eyes. “Did you see me, Ge? Did you see me dance with him? Oh, it was like a dream come true,” squealed Tao in excitement. Yifan nodded at him with crescent eyes and he gently patted his back.

 

“Ge, let's go drink something at the bar. I'm thirsty,” he said after a moment and Yifan agreed that they were in need of a drink. It was warm in the club. Tao refrained from drinking alcohol that night, and in honor of his decision, even Yifan refused to drink alcoholic drinks. They ordered mocktails instead, and sat on the bar stools to rest their legs.

 

Tao relaxed in the silence that followed. With Jongin, he always felt the need to fill up the silent pauses, but with Yifan, he never felt the need to talk. He always felt that the elder would somehow figure out Tao's distress even without him wording it out.

 

Once their drinks arrived, Tao greedily grabbed his and took a long sip of his mocktail. He smacked his lips lightly and glanced at the blonde next to him. Yifan was drinking from the curved straw with a childlike excitement and it reminded Tao of how much he liked the elder and everything that he did.

 

Tao continued to watch him drink from his glass until he looked up. The younger one quickly looked away and pretended to be interested in the numerous bottles of drinks that were on display in front of them.

 

Tao turned his head and glanced at Yifan when the latter cleared his throat. “So, how's it going with Jongin? You must be missing him right now,” Yifan said gently.

 

Tao flinched a little when he was met with that question. If he were honest with himself, he would say that things were not going well with Jongin. Ever since his birthday, Jongin had been a little distant with him. They had not gone on dates as of late, and for some reason Tao did not even miss him, which made him feel like a horrible person.

 

His silence made Yifan speak up once more. “Should I not have asked that?” He asked in a careful tone. Tao quickly turned to him with reassuring smile and shook his head.

 

“No, no. Things are fine with Jongin. It's just, nowadays he is busy with his internship studies, so we get to spend less time with each other,” he explained with a poker face. He hoped he sounded sincere. He left out the part where Jongin had recently found his phone more interesting than Tao's presence.

 

Yifan looked at him suspiciously for a few moments before his face split with a smile. “Ah, Nini _is_ busy. But I assure you, he probably misses hanging out with you, too.”

 

Tao nodded along with the reply and lifted his glass to his lips. “I'm sure he does,” he muttered under his breath as he took a sip. Yifan must have heard him because the next moment, he felt large fingers capture his wrist in a gentle hold.

 

“Taozi, are you sure everything's alright? You know you can tell me anything. I'd keep it a secret,” he said with a tiny small adorning his lips. Tao looked at him earnestly. He wanted to confide in the elder, wanted to tell him how neglected he felt when he was with Jongin, but the words never came out.

 

Instead, he smiled widely at the elder, surprising him a little. “Yifan-Ge, you're really sweet, do you know that?” He whispered to the elder, making the latter blush a little. He continued to speak, though as he drew closer to Yifan.

 

“You're the kindest person I've ever met. Things will be fine between Jongin and I, and you don't need to worry. If I do have any qualms, I'd share it with you. I know I can trust you,” he said softly, with a knowing look in his eyes. He suddenly realized that he _did_ actually trust Yifan. In the past two months that they'd known each other, Tao had come to trust the blonde with all of his heart. He knew that Yifan would never hurt him. At least, not intentionally.

 

Yifan's eyes seemed troubled for a moment before his expression softened. He nodded at Tao and retrieved his hand from his wrist.

 

They spoke of trivial matters after that and soon, they were laughing heartily, the previous conversation forgotten. Yifan was sharing some funny stories of Luhan during his college days, when their topic of conversation walked right up to them. Tao and Yifan had matching grins on their faces upon observing Luhan's flustered face. The eldest among them glanced at Tao. The latter raised his brows in question and received a stuttered response.

 

“Um, I know Sehun came with you, but if it's alright with you, I'd like to take him out for a drive. I-Is that fine with you?” He asked with uncertainty.

 

Tao bit his lip to prevent the giggle that was about to come out, but he schooled his features before he nodded at Luhan. “You can take him out, it's alright. He lives alone, anyways. Just make sure you bring him back safely,” he said.

 

Tao was always protective over Sehun, given the fact that he was the youngest among them. He had looked after Sehun like a little brother. Luhan nodded sincerely and promised Tao that he'd drop Sehun home safely.

 

Yifan then let out a chuckle and harshly patted Luhan's shoulder. “You got the boy right? You lucky dog,” he snickered. In the next second, Luhan had a tight grip over the blonde's ear, and he twisted it painfully.

 

Tao could not help but find it hilarious that someone as short as Luhan could reduce a towering giant like Yifan to childish cries. Luhan twisted his ears more forcefully as Yifan quipped at him about his stature, making the taller one squirm with pain.

 

“Respect your elders, brat!” Shrieked Luhan in a high pitched voice.

 

“Arhh, let me go, Ge! I'm sorry!” Wailed Yifan.

 

“Remember, I can easily knock you out, Wu Kris Yifan!” Warned Luhan. Yifan pouted, albeit cutely, but he apologized to the elder. The doe-eyed man released his ear with a frown over his face. Yifan clutched his reddened ear and glanced at Luhan with a pout on his face. A moment later, Tao lost it.

 

Both Yifan and Luhan gazed at him in surprise as he let out a peal of laughter. He clutched his stomach and hunched over himself, as he laughed uncontrollably.

 

After regaining his composure and wiping away stray tears of mirth, he looked up at the two, only to find their smiles aimed at him, with Luhan's filled with smugness, and Yifan's shadowing something akin to fondness.

 

“You two are so childish at times,” he quipped at them. They glanced at Tao, and then looked at one another. Tao watched in amusement as Luhan patted the taller one's shoulder. He suddenly reached into his pocket and took out his car keys. He handed it over to Luhan with a wink. “Don't let that idiot drive, okay? He drives like a maniac,” he said with a smirk. The other one nodded and took the keys with a grateful look.

 

The shorter one bid goodbye to them, and Tao watched him join Sehun at the entrance of the club. He raised his hands above his head and gave Sehun a thumbs up. Sehun smiled at him and waved back before they made their way out.

 

Tao then turned towards Yifan and they shared a smile. “Guess the evening turned out a success,” he announced happily, getting back to his drink. He heard the other one let out a chuckle as he agreed with Tao.

 

Once they had paid their bills, they bid farewell to Junmyeon and Yixing, the latter promising to show him around his studio if he ever visited. Tao would have fallen right then and there, if Yifan had not been behind him.

 

As they emerged from the noisy club onto the silent streets, Tao had a bright smile on his face. The happy expression quickly disappeared when he realized that he would have to walk back alone. He turned to Yifan with a sheepish look and shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Ah, would you mind dropping me off at my apartment, Gege?” He requested with a smile. Yifan pretended to consider the thought for a moment and Tao's expression fell. Then, Yifan grinned at him and ruffled his hair. “Of course I'll drop you. Although, next time do think before offering your vehicle for your friends. What if I’d refused to drop you, eh?” he asked Tao with a raised brow.

 

Tao considered his question for a moment before giving him a smile. “You’d never leave me like that. I know you, Yifan-ge,” he said with a Cheshire grin. Yifan cursed loudly, which made the younger one chuckle once more.

 

They made their way to his car and got into it. The journey to Tao's apartment was a quiet one. Tao sneaked glances at the elder one as he drove with a concentrated look on his face. His eyes roved over Yifan's handsome features and he wondered again why the young professor was still single.

 

He continued to admire the aesthetic features of the blonde until he was brought out of his incessant staring by the latter clearing his throat. Tao gave him a lazy smile as their gazes met. “Is there something on my face, Taozi?” Yifan asked sardonically. Tao shook his head and stared at him for a second longer before he replied.

 

“Just appreciating your looks, Ge. Tell me, how is it that you're still single? Surely, it's not because of lack of invitations,” he pondered loudly, making the other blush.

 

“I-I just don't feel inclined to accept ever dinner or date. If I like them I agree, but most of the time I politely decline. Just like how you had once declined me,” he said with a tight smile.

 

Tao felt his face warm with embarrassment as he recollected that damn day in the cafe when he had first met Yifan. He thought back to the adorable way in which the elder had stumbled over his words. It had been nice to receive such attention, but alas, Tao had already begun dating Jongin.

 

The truth was that Tao had liked it. He had liked the way Yifan had approached him. It was endearing to him, and he wished he could have agreed. It was as he was thinking of such thoughts, that he asked his next question. “Do you still have such an interest in me?”

 

He caught the other one off guard with that question as Yifan frowned. “What?” He asked smartly. Tao looked at Yifan imploringly and spoke again. “If I wasn't dating Jongin, would you date me?”

 

Yifan chuckled nervously and gave the younger one a strange look. “What sort of question is that, Tao?”

 

Tao narrowed his eyes and urged Yifan to answer. When he did answer though, he kept his gaze focused on Tao. “Yes, I'd date you. In case you don't remember, back then I was the one who approached you. But it doesn't matter now. What matters is that you're happy with Jongin.”

 

Tao did not know what to do with his reply, so he became quiet. He asked himself that question again. Was he happy with Jongin? He guessed he was. He felt like he was not making much attempts at salvaging their relationship.

 

Tao's silence concerned Yifan, and when they reached his apartment, he placed a hand over Tao's shoulder.

 

Tao looked back to him with raised brows. The elder had a worried look over his face. “Are you sure things are fine? I feel like you're hiding something from me,” he said with a pout.

 

At that moment, he wanted to spill out all of his insecurities. He wanted to tell Yifan that he had been feeling lonely, and that he doubted Jongin's fidelity. But he did not want to make such an accusation without having some sort of proof. All that Jongin did was text someone and smile at his phone. He could not accuse him of cheating with just that.

 

Then, there was also the fact that he thought of Yifan a lot nowadays. Ever since he had gifted Tao that antique weapon set, he had wormed his way into Tao's heart. It was not just that, though. Yifan's concern for his students' welfare spoke volumes. He loved that Yifan allowed them to come to his home and resolve whatever issues they had.

 

He was also a good listener. When Jongin would take him out on dates, Tao would intentionally arrive at his place earlier than decided just to speak with Yifan.

 

In Yifan, he found that he could confide his silly thoughts and worries such as one instance, where he had to deal with a troublesome girl who failed to listen to him in his martial arts class. She would be extremely harsh on her other classmates and when he would chide her, she'd just ignore him or talk back.

 

When he had told Yifan about this, he had explained to Tao that teenagers only behave like that if they were troubled. He had told Tao to just get her aside and talk to her about it. When Tao had done that, he had found out that his student had been the target of bullies in her school. She had come out as bisexual, and some of the boys had taken to making her life miserable. It had been the exact reason why she had joined his class. She had wanted to stand up to those boys.

 

Tao had promptly counseled her after, and she had faced her bullies. Now, she was a free spirited girl, who was still rough on some of her peers, but was much gentler at heart. He owed this change to Yifan, and after that incident, Tao took more notice of his students.

 

His thoughts were interrupted as Yifan once more called out to him. Tao lifted his head and gazed into Yifan's dark eyes. He found only concern swimming in those orbs and for once, Tao felt like he could handle his issues.

 

He smiled sweetly at Yifan and placed his palms against the other's cheek. Then, he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss over his cheeks, his eyes shutting close for a brief moment. His skin was cold from the air conditioning in the car, but he could feel it slowly warm underneath his lips.

 

When he pulled away he noticed a blush spread out over Yifan's cheek and his eyes were wide. Tao simply smiled at him and opened the car door. Before stepping out he turned once more in Yifan's direction and spoke in a soft voice.

 

“You've already done so much for me, thank you. I'm really grateful to have you. Drive home safely, okay? And do text me once you've reached. Good night, Yifan-Ge.”

 

With that he turned around and quickly exited the car. He walked towards his apartment without even glancing backwards, and he walked in. His heart was beating erratically as he entered his apartment, and he placed a hand over his chest to soothe the erratic thumping.

 

“What's wrong with me,” he whispered to himself as he looked about his living room. His head was messed up with all these new emotions, and he honestly wanted nothing more than to find some clarity.

 

He made his way to his bathroom and peeled away his clothes. As he removed his clothing, one by one, his mind drifted to the events of the night. He felt jittery as he went over the conversations that he had had with Yifan. He gripped his discarded shirt tightly as he thought about how he had blatantly asked Yifan if he'd date him.

 

He had to have been an idiot to ask such a thing. He tossed his shirt and proceeded to undress. As he deposited his clothes in the laundry bag he caught sight of himself in the mirror. His eyes looked tired and his skin was pale. He gently touched his skin and thought back to the day when he had first met Yifan.

 

The elder had complimented his eyes in the most adorable way, and it had struck a chord in Tao's heart. He had been truly disappointed that he had rejected him. The thing was, nobody had ever complimented his eyes. They always said that he looked sleep-deprived and that it gave him a sick look. But Yifan had deemed them feline like.

 

Tao smiled despite of himself when he recollected that particular incident. This again set his heart in a frenzy. He took in a shaky breath and tried to push thoughts of the blonde out of his head. He frowned and looked away from the mirror, his own reflection making him sick. His heart was not supposed to behave this way. He did _not_ harbor feelings for the older man. He refused to even admit to himself, but he knew that it was a vain effort.

 

He soon stood under the hot shower and soaped himself up, his mind running a mile a minute. As he was rubbing the lather against his skin, unbidden images of Yifan dancing on the club sprung up in his mind, and his hands unconsciously drifted lower and lower.

 

He shook his head to filter his thoughts and tried to focus on Jongin instead. They had slept with each other once, and it had been a quick session too. They had jerked each other off and Tao had given him a blow job the next morning. He had admired the younger one's body. He tried to focus on the tanned and lithe sculpt of Jongin, but those tanned muscles slowly turned to pale skin and blonde hair in his imagination.

 

“No, not him, please no,” Tao whimpered to himself as his mind punished him with images of Yifan. He pictured the way the elder had hip-thrusted into the air in sync to the song, the way his pants had stretched over those long legs of his.

 

Tao's fingers wrapped around his shaft as he slowly pumped himself to erection. He leaned back against the cool tiles of the shower and began to move his wrist up and down in a slow manner, releasing a helpless breath.

 

More images of Yifan filled his mind. He thought back on the moments when he had admired Yifan's large hands. He had loved the way his palms had felt against Tao's back when they had hugged. He wondered how it would feel on his bare skin, or how it would feel inside of him.

 

Tao let out a moan as he imagined Yifan's thick fingers making their way into his hot body, stretching them open for something much more bigger and hotter. Tao's fingers gripped himself tighter and he began jerking himself faster.

 

He tilted his head backwards and pressed against the cool tiles as he imagined Yifan's throaty voice moaning in pleasure by his ears. Tao's breaths picked up and his already excited heart accelerated it's rhythm, beating frantically against his chest.

 

He was almost nearing his climax and he was letting out mewls of pleasure. To complete the sick fantasy that his mind was playing for him, he pictured himself underneath Yifan's strong body, and this was how he came undone.

 

He released a broken moan as he spilled over his fist. Tears brimmed in his eyes and flowed freely as his pleasure gave way to shame. He had just masturbated to the mental images of his boyfriend's roommate. If that was not a screwed up situation he didn't know what was.

 

He slumped to the floor and sobbed. He was the most sickening person that could ever exist and he felt dirty. He had been worried about Jongin cheating on him that he totally ignored the fact that he was cheating on Jongin too. At least, he was cheating on an emotional level.

 

He always thought that when a person liked someone, it was a good thing. He wondered now, why it felt like a sin. Maybe it was because he was already dating someone, and according to usual flow of nature, he was inclined to fall in love with Jongin. He was sure that he felt some level of affection for the younger one, but it was nowhere near what he felt for Yifan.

 

He gingerly made it to his feet and turned off the shower. After toweling himself dry, he put on some cotton pants and crawled into bed. He closed his eyes and decided that thinking too much at the moment would only be detrimental on his mental health. So he promptly urged his body to relax and enter the dark abyss that sleep brought.

 

* * *

  


The next morning, Tao's vibrating phone woke him up. The caller ID displayed Sehun's name and he smiled despite it being early. He checked the time on the clock beside his bed and it read nine a.m.

 

Great, he was late for his own work. He swiftly got up and answered his phone, grinning as he heard not Sehun, but Luhan's voice greeting him.

 

“Ah, is this Tao? It's me, Luhan,” came the soft voice of the doctor.

 

“Luhan-Ge, what's up? Did you both end up going to bed together?” He asked cheekily. He heard an affronted sound from his speaker and he could not help but chuckle.

 

“Yah, mind your words! And no, we didn't have sex. We just, you know, slept on the same bed. Anyways, I'm calling to let you know that Sehun will drop your car later on in the day,” explained the elder. Tao nodded as he realized that Sehun would keep to his word. He only hoped the younger man would bring his car back in one piece.

 

After talking for few more minutes, they ended the call, both complaining about how they were late for their respective jobs. Tao noticed that there were two messages left to him from Yifan. The events of last night flooded his mind, and he let out a sigh. There was nothing he could do about his emotional issues. He opened the message and felt his heart skip a beat.

 

_Galaxy Yifan-Gege (23:00)_

_Hey, Taozi. Just texting to let you know that I've reached home safely. Good night._

 

_Galaxy Yifan-Gege (8:00)_

_Good morning, Taozi. Hope you slept well. I noticed you didn't reply to my message. Hope things are fine. If not, beat up some sand bags and relieve your worries ;)._

 

Tao chuckled as he read the last message. Given the intensity of his stress, he'd have to rip a sand bag apart, or probably talk to someone about it to relieve it.

 

He brushed such thoughts aside and quickly got ready for the day. There were some legal work to handle for his dojo, so his morning classes were pushed to afternoon. It would be hectic, but on such days there was nothing he could do.

 

His entire morning passed by with his tax officers in a stuffy room. He was thankful when it was finished as he was really not good with tax laws. It was nearly lunch time when he got back to his dojo and he was surprised to find none other than Jongin waiting for him.

 

His heart stuttered guiltily as he remembered his heinous act the previous night, but he schooled his features and smiled at his boyfriend. Jongin smiled back and leaned up on his toes a little to kiss Tao's lips briefly.

 

They embraced each other and basked in the closeness. Tao felt good, to be honest, as he genuinely liked Jongin.

 

“Hey stranger. Long time, no see,” he remarked to the younger one as he picked up some postal letters that was lying on the lobby table and began going through them, one by one.

 

Jognin sighed loudly and he sat down on one of the couches. “I'm sorry for not being able to visit you frequently. It's just that I got caught up with shifts back in the hospital. What I want to say is that, I missed you.”

 

Tao looked up from his letters and pursed his lips thoughtfully. He then sat down next to Jongin and looked at him in the eye. “I missed you too, Jongin. It's been a lonely week without you,” he said sincerely.

 

Jongin suddenly leaned forward and took away the letters from Tao's hands, placing them on the table. He then laced their fingers and smiled suggestively at Tao.

 

“I've come to make amends. Why don't we have lunch together? My treat, for being an ass and ignoring you,” he said with a grin. Tao felt himself nodding to his idea and he finally let out a smile.

 

He stood up and turned to Jongin with a warning in his eyes. “I'm gonna indulge myself today, so you better be ready to get some holes blown in your purse.”

 

Jongin let out a hearty laugh and bowed playfully. “Your wish is my command. You are entitled to burn my entire wallet, if you please.”

 

They went to a nearby restaurant and true to his word, Tao wolfed down a lot of food. It probably had to do with the fact that he had eaten nothing but a salad for breakfast. They caught up with each other and everything was light and hearty.

 

When they were eating dessert, Jongin's phone rang. He smiled when he looked at the display and he answered cheerfully. “Yifan-hyung! What's up!”

 

Tao choked on the ice cream he was eating and he reached for his water, taking long gulps of it to calm himself. Jongin threw a concerned glance but Tao waved it off.

 

He had not expected the elder to call Jongin, and the very thought of him made him squirm. He fiddled with his melting ice cream as he subtly eavesdropped on their conversation.

 

“I won't be able to make it home early.”

 

“Yeah, I've got my shift till midnight.”

 

“Really? Wow, okay. Uh, just get me some jjajngmyeon, that's enough,” he said with a smile.

 

After that he ended the call and Tao quickly got back to his ice cream. Jongin looked at him and pointed to his phone. “Hyung's having some sort of reunion with his friend today. Weird, isn't it? I never see him so excited for things like this,” he remarked with a fond smile.

 

“A reunion? Is it like some college reunion or something?” He joked as he scooped up a spoonful of the cold dessert. Jongin shook his head and took a sip of his soda, grinning like a cat.

 

“Nah, he's meeting up with this noona who he dated when they were in college,” he said. Tao inhaled sharply, but he managed not to choke again. He swallowed the feelings of envy and finished his ice cream.

 

“How many people did he date in college?!” He asked in exasperation. Jongin looked thoughtful for a moment before he answered. “Two. Junmyeon-hyung and Amber-noona. He dated Amber-noona first. I was told that they hit it off like rocks. They were like your usual hot couple of the university. They went out for months, and then there was Junmyeon-hyung. They dated for quite some time. Nearly a year, I think.”

 

Tao felt butterflies in his stomach and he felt sick about hearing Yifan's meeting with this girl. “So why did he break up with her?” He asked hoarsely.

 

“I think it's because she moved away after one year of college. Her mother was terminally ill or something. The distance sort of killed their romance, but -”

 

“- they're good friends?” Tao completed for him. It seemed that every ex-lover, with the exception of Park Chanyeol, ended up being his good friends.

 

“Yep. Hyung's such a nice person that one can't help but be friendly towards him, don't you think?” He asked Tao with a smile. Tao nodded and agreed with him.

 

After lunch, Jongin waked him back to his dojo. They kissed deeply for few minutes before Jongin's phone received a call. It was from the hospital, and Jongin left with a sad smile. Tao assured him that he had fun and only then did a blinding smile erupt over Jongin's face.

 

Once he was gone, Tao went back inside to the small office he had at the back of the dojo. He was surprised to find someone occupying his chair. He smirked when he recognized his intruder.

 

“I thought school was till 4pm,” he said out loud in a suspicious tone. The chair swiveled around and he was face to face with his intruder, who was none other than his favorite student. The girl just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

 

“I skipped classes today. I'm gonna be attending my supplementary classes, so don't fret like my mother, Oppa,” came the smart ass reply from his student. Her name was Haeun, and she had been the troubled student that Yifan had helped him with.

 

“You better attend those classes if you want to get into a good University,” he reminded her. Honestly, he thought that the Korean education system was extremely brutal on the students. Although, he remembered himself staying late at night in his school back in Qingdao, but at least he did not have to stay in the dorms, given the fact that his parents gave him freedom. Since he was not good with studies, they did not pressurize him to take up difficult subjects. He only realized later how thankful he was for his parents.

 

Tao now saw Haeun yawn loudly and settle comfortably against his chair. He noticed the dark rings under her eyes and sighed. “Are you not sleeping properly again, Haeun-ah?” He asked in an authoritarian voice.

 

The girl groaned and shook her head. She had her legs pulled up to her chest and her head was rested against the back of the chair. She was still in her uniform and it looked like she had fallen in mud.

 

“I have exams coming up, so everyone's on my head, coaxing me to spend more time studying. I told my teachers that I wanted to take a day off, but I promised them I'd come back later in the evening. So they let me. I played football with some friends before I came here,” she said with a smirk.

 

Tao shook his head and sat on the chair. He reclined in it and observed the girl before him. Haeun was a beautiful girl who was slowly growing more confident of herself. He remembered the defensive and rebellious girl who had joined his dojo all those months back, and now he could no longer find that girl in her. She had morphed into a beautiful and mature girl instead, even if she was still stubborn.

 

And this metamorphosis of her behavior was due to Yifan's advice. Thoughts about the elder brought his misery back and he sighed. Haeun was quick to catch onto that and she straightened in her chair.

 

“Is something the matter, Oppa? Boyfriend not treating you well?” She asked with a raised brow. Tao shook his head and thought about it for a moment.

 

“No, uh, it's something different. It doesn't involve Jongin directly, although I think it does, I don't know,” he mumbled, more to himself than to Haeun. The latter leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table, nodding at him to continue.

 

“I think I like someone else,” he said vaguely. Haeun nodded slowly as she took in his words, and she narrowed her eyes.

 

“Is this 'someone’ related to Jongin-ssi?” She asked carefully.

 

“Sort of? They live together, and -”

 

“Shit, you're in love with Yifan-ssi aren't you?” She shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him. Tao's eyes widened to the size of saucers as she answered him. He failed to form words and that's when she stood up and stomped over to him.

 

“No way! I knew it. I knew it from that damn day when he gifted you those antique nun-chucks. I knew you were a goner. But really, I sort of have a crush on him too, it's not fair!”

 

Tao was still frozen in his spot, but when he heard her last words he sprung into action and he frowned at her. “You have a crush on him? You've not even seen him!”

 

Haeun rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “I checked his picture out in your phone. Also, he has this old Instagram account filled with pictures. He doesn't use it as much anymore, but I'm an active stalker. I sent him a request, and he accepted!” She said with a triumphant smile.

 

Tao's mouth opened and closed in horror at this new information. “How dare you! Even I have not befriended him on Instagram! And, does he really have a lot of pictures?”

 

Haeun let out a chuckle as she took out her phone. She opened her Instagram account and went straight to Yifan's account. Tao gasped as he saw the pictures of the man he was sure he liked.

 

There were pictures from his college and also from his teaching life. Tao could not believe it. He looked so handsome and cool in all of the pictures that he did not notice Haeun looking at him. He was in awe of the man and it showed evidently on his face.

 

“Wow, you really are in love with him, huh?” She whispered. Tao raised his eyes from the beauty that was Yifan and he met Haeun's eyes. He immediately collected his thoughts and feelings and maintained a neutral expression.

 

“I-I'm not in love with him, Haeun,” he said in a weak voice. His words felt like ashes in his mouth and he felt the corners of his lips turn downwards as he felt the sadness from the previous night envelop him.

 

Lanky arms went around his shoulders as he was pulled into a hug. He gently wrapped his arms around the girl and held onto her tightly. She carded her fingers through his hair and it reminded him of his mother.

 

“Oppa, I think you should tell Jongin-ssi about your feelings, however small they maybe. Its not fair to you, Jongin-ssi or Yifan-ssi. If none of you do anything, all of you will get hurt,” she said in a soothing voice.

 

Tao looked up in surprise and stared at her. “Since when did you become so good at giving advice?” He asked incredulously. Haeun only smiled and blushed a little.

 

“I-I had a good teacher. And I happen to know a little about emotions. I read and stuff,” she said softly. Tao smiled at her and stood up. He then placed a kiss over her forehead and gazed at her fondly. He never had sisters, and Haeun was close enough to him to be called as such.

 

“I'll see about that later, but thank you for the advice. Now, let's start with some workouts,” he said firmly, earning a bright smile from Haeun.

 

The day ended uneventfully for Tao, with Haeun running to her school after four. His day after that was relatively the usual, with his usual students for classes. He reached home late that night, and he was exhausted. He checked his phone and had received messages from a lot of people. Most of them were from his family.

 

He answered them first and then he went to messages from his friends. He had a text from Jongin, wishing him a good night. Then, he also had a text from Yifan. He then realized that he had not replied to the elder's message since morning. He quickly opened the text and frowned when he saw the content.

 

_Galaxy Yifan-Gege (19:45)_

_Taozi, you haven't replied since morning. I hope everything is fine. I'm turning over early today, since, well I had a busy day. But you can always drop a text if you need me._

 

Tao smiled sadly seeing the text. He was truly behaving like a guardian. He returned a message back to Yifan and hoped that it would soothe his worries.

 

_To Galaxy Yifan-Gege (19:47)_

_Ge, I just had a busy day. And I was late in the morning so I couldn't reply. I'm totally fine, no worries. I know I can rely on you. How did your little date with Amber-ssi go?_  


_From Galaxy Yifan-Gege (19:49)_

_Did Nini tell you? Of course, who else could have! It wasn't a date. She was just in the country, and she wanted to visit me before she left._

 

_To Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:00)_

_Oh, okay. Are you alright, though?_

 

_From Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:01)_

_Yeah, I'm alright. Just tired. Good night, Taozi._

 

_To Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:03)_

_Good night. Dream of galaxies! :)_

 

* * *

 

The next week was harsh on Tao. He had been feeling blue as of late, given the fact that he was going through an emotional car wreck. He was prone to miss his family at times like this and he truly wished that they were with him. He missed the calm counsel of his mother, and the stern, yet loving advice of his father. He missed his bratty brothers and their antics.

 

To sum it up, it was one of those days when his homesickness got to him. In this instance, he was absolutely sure that it was induced due to his nearly broken relationship with Jongin.

 

Four days ago, Jongin had missed a dinner date with Tao.

 

Two days ago, Tao had ignored Jongin's calls and texts for an entire day.

 

A day ago, they had had their first fight. Tao had been out for some groceries and while he was on his way back, he spotted Jongin laughing happily with a shorter guy. Tao had been on the bus at that time, and he had not been able to confront him.

 

That evening he had been able to confront Jongin about the guy. Jongin has turned defensive and had told him that it was an old friend. Tao had gone ahead and asked him if it was someone he liked. That had been a mistake, because the next moment Jongin had exploded in front of Tao, yelling that he had been with a friend and that he could meet whoever he pleased.

 

He had also complained to Tao that he had enough of Tao's whining and that he had been stressed enough at the hospital without more issues from his boyfriend. This had angered Tao and he had asked Jongin to leave his house.

 

He had spent the entire day at his dojo,  keeping his mind busy with hours of martial arts, but now that he was home, he dreaded to be by himself. He was torn between calling Sehun or Yifan.

 

He did not want to call Sehun as the younger one had gone home to spend time with his family. And he did not want to call Jongin as he was still angry with the boy.

 

His only option was to call Yifan, but it felt weird now to Tao. He had come to terms with his growing attraction towards the elder, but he was dreading to face him now.

 

In the end, he dropped a text asking Yifan if they could meet.

 

_To Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:02)_

_Ge, are you free? I know it's late, but I'm not feeling so good right now._

 

_From Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:04)_

_What's wrong? Are you sick? Should I bring meds?_

 

_To Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:05)_

_I'm not physically sick. Just, emotionally tired. I want to just go out._

 

_From Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:07)_

_Alright, get ready and dress warmly. I'm coming to pick you up. Have you eaten?_

 

_To Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:08)_

_Yeah, I had jjajangmyun at a store near the dojo. And you?_

 

_From Galaxy Yifan-Gege (20:10)_

_I had dinner. Get ready then. I'll be there as soon as possible._

 

Tao let out a breath of relief after he read Yifan's messages. He nodded to himself and knew that he would make him feel better.

 

He knew that Jongin needed to know about his feelings for Yifan, but he needed to know what the elder felt about him first. He wondered if he could ask him today, or at least hint at it.

 

He did not change his clothes, as he already had on a hoodie and some track pants. It was not extremely cold outside and he figured that the hoodie would do for now.

 

Twenty minutes later, his bell rang, making him approach the door with swift steps. He opened the door and smiled as he saw Yifan standing on the other side, looking extremely casual in a white T-shirt, jeans and a jacket. His hair was messy due to the winds outside.

 

“Yifan-Ge, you're here,” Tao mumbled softly. His heart leaped at the sight of the taller man and Tao moved forward to embrace him.

 

Yifan hugged him willingly and even rubbed circles over his back in a soothing manner. Tao took a deep breath and smelled the fragrance of freshly washed fabric. It calmed his nerves and he basked in the taller one's hold.

 

After a moment the let go of him and looked up with a smile. “I'm glad you're here. Come in,” he invited the elder. Yifan merely shook his head.

 

“Nah, let's go out, come on. I'll wait in the parking lot for you.” Yifan promptly made this way down the hallway.  Tao picked up his wallet and keys from the table near his door, and he too went out. After locking his house, he ran down the stairs and was sort of relieved to find that Yifan was still there.

 

He was leaning against his car and he straightened himself as Tao neared him. He suddenly smiled at the younger and beckoned him to enter the car.

 

Once seated in the car, Yifan turned to Tao and spoke. “We're going to get some ice cream.” Tao could only nod in approval. He liked ice cream and it had been a long time since he'd had one.

 

The streets were a little empty at certain places, but filled with cars at others. They did not talk a lot and even if they did, it was about trivial things.

 

They stopped by a local store to buy some ice creams. After their brief shopping trip, Yifan drove them to a park near the Han River.

 

They entered the park side by side, with Tao holding onto the shopping bag. He looked around and found the park almost empty. Tao remembered coming here several times with Sehun, but it was the first time he had arrived here at night. He turned to Yifan and gave him a look of uncertainty.

 

“Are we even allowed at this hour?” He asked doubtfully. Yifan waved his hand and grinned at him. “I know a few people here, and they know that I'm totally harmless, so they let me walk around. Plus, nobody will notice.”

 

Tao chuckled as he heard this, and he took out an ice cream bar that was fruit flavored. He offered one to Yifan and took out a second one for himself.

 

The river was quiet and alluring at night. The moon's reflection glinted beautifully off of the surface of water. There were no sounds other than the ones that nature made, and Tao felt his soul relax.

 

They silently ate the ice creams between themselves, and Tao had to admit that he felt a lot better. They halted by a railing and stood staring at the river, when Yifan finally spoke.

 

“So, what's going on with you, my Taozi?” He asked fondly. Tao's breath stuttered upon hearing his pet name. His brain went into overdrive as he heard the possessive pronoun before his name. He cleared his throat and spoke softly.

 

“I’ve been feeling low in the past few days,” he started, giving a glance at Yifan who only nodded at him to continue, “and it's not just one incident that's bothering me. There have been a few things that have got me disgruntled.”

 

Tao looked once more at the elder and found a slight crease marring his forehead. He was listening to Tao with a concentrated look and this motivated him to speak. “I was missing my family a lot this week, and work has been too stressful as one of the instructors I hired became sick.  Then, Jongin and I had a fight.”

 

The younger one continued to talk without letting the other one interrupt. “I-I spotted Jongin with someone else, and I jumped to conclusions. It was just that he had already missed a date and it was not even the first time he had done it. When I saw him with another person I just lost it. I texted him about it, and when he came to my house we had a huge argument. Both of said things we didn't want to, and I ended up kicking him out of the house,” he ended with a pitiful whine.

 

Yifan looked horrified as he heard this. Tao realized the meaning behind his words and he rolled his eyes. “I didn't literally kick him out, even if I'm capable of that. I just told him to leave,” he said, sadly.

 

The two remained silent for a moment before the elder spoke. “Tao, maybe you should talk to him. I'm sure both of you are feeling miserable, and it would do you good to get it all out. This is just a little misunderstanding,” he suggested with a half-smile.

 

Tao shook his head and glanced at Yifan. “I don't think it's just a minor misunderstanding. He was smiling at the other boy as if they were the only ones there. I've seen that expression on my father's face whenever he's with Mom. I think I can distinguish between an affectionate glance and a friendly stare. But, it's okay,” he said, ducking his head down.

 

When he glanced up he found Yifan's confused gaze on him. He stammered as he hesitantly brought out the next set of words. “I-I've not been entirely honest with him either. As of late, my eyes have caught someone else. I fear that I've developed certain feelings for this person.”

 

He now saw Yifan's face contort in mild anger. The latter stepped closer to Tao and looked down on him. In the darkness of the night, Tao found the man a little intimidating. “That's not nice, Tao,” he whispered.

 

Tao barely nodded before Yifan turned away from him, gazing instead at the silent, churning river. The younger one stood where he was as Yifan spoke once more, this time his voice was a little louder. “Who is this person?”

 

Tao took tentative steps towards Yifan as he replied. “It's someone who's been extremely kind to me. He has always looked out for me, and I think I know more about him than I know of Jongin. Sometimes, I think he's lonely and I just want to be there for him,” he said with a wavering voice.

 

Yifan's jaw was tightened as he continued to glare at the water. If he knew who Tao was talking about, he showed no indication. “Who is he, Tao?” He asked with more force.

 

Tao squared his shoulders as he gazed at the man he was slowly falling in love with. He moved closer to him until he could hear Yifan's unsteady breathing. His eyes focused on the beautiful features of Yifan's face as he softly, yet firmly, gave his answer.

 

“It's you. You're the one I'm falling for.”

 

Yifan turned so abruptly that Tao, who was just a hairsbreadth away from him, stepped back with a gasp. The younger’s eyes rounded with fear as he witnessed Yifan's anger.

 

“What are you saying, Zitao? You're not making any sense,” he uttered in a hollow voice.

 

Tao frowned and focused his gaze on Yifan. He was sure that the elder also held some amount of feelings for him, but now it seemed otherwise. “Don't try to act dumb. I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. I've been trying so hard to not fall for you, but it was all in vain,” he confessed.

 

Yifan let out a groan and looked away from Tao. He brought his fists to his eyes and pressed them harshly against his orbs. “How is this even possible?!”

 

Tao's face softened at that, and he ducked his head to stare at the grass underneath his shoes. “I don't know when it happened, but I just couldn't stop thinking about you. I think it was after that gift you gave me, wait, no” he paused as he thought over in his head for a moment before he spoke again, “it was the day when you first spoke with me. I've not been able to get you out of my head since then,” he said with a helpless smile.

 

Tao felt his heart fluttering as he admitted all of this. He had done it, and it had felt good for him to get it all out. Now, all that mattered was what Yifan felt.

 

Yifan turned to him with narrowed eyes. “So, all this time that you were with Jongin, you've been thinking of someone else and you're accusing him of cheating on you?” He asked with a cold voice.

 

Tao unconsciously took a step back as he heard the frostiness in his voice. “It's not like I wanted to. You understood me better than him. I-I felt more at home with you, and you were also nice to me,” he explained.

 

“That was because you were my roommate's boyfriend. Did it ever strike you that I was just doing a nice thing? What, did you think you are someone special to me?”

 

Tao recoiled when those words were thrown at him. His words hurt him more than he could say, but he would not back down. He knew that Yifan felt something for him too.

 

“I don't know if I'm special to you or not, but I know that you are an honest man, and that you would never, ever lie about your emotions. Your face says it all,” he said. He moved closer to Yifan and looked at him imploringly. “I saw the joy in your eyes when I appreciated your gift. I noticed the fondness in your face when I treated your sickness. I also noticed the way you would eye me, head to toe, whenever I would turn up for my date. I know I can't have imagined that,” he said with a smile.

 

Yifan stared at him for a minute or two with an unfathomable expression in his face. Then he turned around and began walking away from Tao. “Where are you going?” He asked, going after the taller male.

 

“Going to my car so that I can drop you home. You're clearly not thinking properly.”

 

Tao watched him walk away with a scowl. He followed after the elder and silently sat in the car. The amount of pain he was feeling was beyond words, and he found himself glaring at the dashboard. Yifan spoke quietly in the car, but Tao zoned out of most of it.

 

“Zitao, I want you to go home and think properly about what you feel. I think you've misunderstood my kindness to you. Jongin probably doesn't even know that you're over thinking so much. Just call him and talk to him.”

 

As Tao heard this, he snapped his head to the side and glared at Yifan. “Do you have any idea what you just said? I'm not an idiot when it comes to emotions. I know love when I see it. I know what I feel for you, whether you deny it or not. I don't need you to confirm it for me.”

 

Tears stung Tao's eyes as he continued to talk. By now they were nearing his apartment and he had only few more minutes to talk.

 

“You have no idea how I've been feeling all this time. You only see me as the cheating asshole, but you don't know the emotional torture I've been through. It was painful for me, because I knew I was going to break his heart and I still could not stop thinking about you. He ignored me for so many days and I've felt so lonely. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that you would be there for me,” he said, with tears flowing freely from his eyes.

 

He took a deep breath and looked around as he realized they had stopped. He opened the car door and glanced at Yifan. “I know I'm a despicable human being for loving someone when I'm dating someone else. But I'm just human, I'm prone to errors. What I don't know now, is why you're pushing me away. You're either scared of admitting that you like me, or you genuinely have no interest in me.”

 

Yifan was now looking helplessly at Tao. The younger one waited for a moment, but upon receiving no reply he nodded to himself and got out of the car, but not before saying a few last words. “I think I need some time. Don't call me or text me or even think about me. You don't deserve it.”

 

He swiftly got out of the car and began walking towards his door when he felt his hand being yanked. He turned back and found Yifan looking at him sternly. He was open to open his mouth and say something, but Tao decided to shut the elder.

 

He gripped Yifan's strong jaw and pulled him towards himself in order to seal their lips. Tao's body reacted wildly as he kissed Yifan. The latter's lips tasted of the ice cream they had eaten, and Tao pressed himself more firmly against him. He thought he felt the elder respond to his kiss, but the moment was ruined when Yifan gently pushed him away.

 

If Tao was upset before, he was absolutely wrecked now. He looked up at the pathetic form of Yifan and felt more tears brimming. He wiped his eyes and took a shaky breath. “Now I know. You're just a coward,” he said. Yifan's face crumbled hearing those words, but Tao was already turning around to enter his apartment. He did not hear Yifan's soft plea for him to wait.

 

Once inside the safety of his bedroom, he broke down. The pain overtaking his heart and mind was too much for him. He spent a few minutes weeping in sorrow at the helpless situation that he was in. He loved Yifan so much that it hurt him to be away from the elder. Then, he wiped his tears again, and straightened himself. Crying would be of no help.

 

He was going talk to Jongin and break up with him. Then, he would pack a bag and go to Qingdao. He needed to get away from this mess and think. He knew that Yifan also felt for him, but then, he could also be wrong.

 

As he slept that night, he began thinking again. He knew that the elder did not approve of Tao's actions, given the fact that his own relationship had been broken due to a similar situation. He remembered how sad Yifan had been as he had recounted the downward spiral of his relation with Chanyeol.

 

Tao knew that if he admitted to his feelings, he would become someone he had sworn not to be, but it still hurt. Tao did not want to be the only one with feelings between them. All that he wanted to do, was be with the elder, and tell him how much he loved and treasured him.

 

His eyes glistened and Tao willed himself not to cry. He hoped that Yifan realized how much he meant to Tao.

 

He drifted to slumber with a silent apology on his lips.

 

* * *

 

There were a lot of things that Yifan had been called in his life, but being called a 'coward’ was a first for him. The entire ordeal with Tao had given him more than just a headache.

 

Right now, he was sitting on his couch with a somber look upon his face. It had been two days since his unfortunate argument with Tao. It had been hard enough to come to terms with his feelings, but it had been impossible for him to accept it when the younger also felt the same way.

 

Something had prevented him from openly acknowledging Tao's feelings. It was not like he had sprung it from nowhere.

 

Yifan had been aware of the growing intimacy between them, but he had not thought that Tao would be so forthcoming. He had reacted unwisely and had only managed to hurt the younger boy in that process.

 

In two days, a lot had happened in Yifan's life. He had found out that Tao had broken up with Jongin, and that Jongin was actually in love with someone else. The last piece of information had been made aware to him only two hours ago.

 

He had just returned from another mind numbing day at the University, when he had stumbled upon Jongin moping around the living room. When he had asked him to spill the beans, Jongin had done just that. Even now, the conversation still rang fresh in his ears.

 

_The day had progressed in a hazy state for Yifan, and he had been grateful when classes were finished. He was glad that he did not have anymore work for the day and he had promptly returned home._

 

_His mind was still afresh with the image of Tao in tears, and Yifan felt immense guilt whenever he thought about it. The thing was, he did not know how to approach the young man, or what to do next._

 

_When he returned home, he was mildly surprised to find Jongin pacing their living room with a tensed expression across his face. Seeing Yifan, however, cleared all the tension from his face._

 

_“Yifan-hyung, you are back, thank God! I was beginning to go mad,” he said with a whine. Yifan placed his bag on the table by the door, and sat on the couch, beckoning Jongin to do the same._

 

_“What's wrong, Jongin? You seem distressed,” he observed. Jongin nodded as he sat beside Yifan. He nervously fiddled with his fingers until he spoke._

 

_“I'm in love with my high school hyung,” he said in a whisper._

 

_Yifan's brows rose beyond his hairline as he heard this. He leaned forward and gripped Jongin's elbow tightly. “Your high school hyung?” He repeated._

 

_Jongin nodded before he got to his feet once more. “His name is Do Kyungsoo. He is a year older than me, and he was one class higher than me. We became friends when we realized that we were neighbors. I've always had a crush on him, but it dissolved as we passed high school. Now, he's back, and he's a successful chef. And, he confessed to me,” he said in a daze._

 

_Yifan blinked at him once before he got up too. He waved his hands around as he tried to make sense of the situation. “Hold on, so this boy from high school, whom you've not seen in years, suddenly comes back into your life and confesses his undying love for you?” He asked._

 

_Jongin nodded at him and he suddenly smiled at him. “Oh, even I felt that it was a little strange, but he told me how much he appreciated my support through high school. His parents didn't believe that he could make it as a chef, but I always told him that he would achieve his goals. It may have also been the fact that I was in love with him, but I genuinely supported him.”_

 

_Then, his cheeks flooded with color as he ducked his head bashfully. “He told me he had been shy during high school, but even he liked me. I wasn't sure of his feelings, but he proved it to me that he meant every word of it. He actually loves me too,” he said in awe._

 

_Yifan on the other hand experienced a sinking feeling in his stomach as he listened to Jongin. So, Tao had been telling the truth. “Did you ignore Tao?” He asked gruffly._

 

_Jongin sobered up and his face took on a pained expression. “I hurt him unnecessarily. He remained silent with all of my lame excuses and lies. I was horrible to him, but he forgave me, you know.”_

 

_Yifan gave him a confused look and Jongin went on to explain. “When he broke up with me, he wasn't sad or harsh at all. He gently asked me the reason. When I told it all to him, he just chuckled and said ‘you can't choose who you love’. Then, he hugged me and wished me for my future with Kyungsoo-hyung,” he said, tearing up a little._

 

_“I wish I hadn't caused him so much pain. He didn't deserve it,” he whispered more to himself, but Yifan heard it. He agreed with Jongin. Tao deserved all the love. And the boy only wanted Yifan's love and attention._

 

_“You should go and tell this Kyungsoo kid how much he means to you. And make sure he acknowledges your feelings,” advised Yifan. Jongin nodded and embraced the elder._

 

_“You're really an angel, Yifan-hyung. Sometimes I really think you've descended from the galaxies,” he said with a chuckle. If only he knew how brutally he had put down Tao two days ago._

 

_“You're exaggerating now. I did nothing,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. Jongin shook his head and leaned forward. “You were there for me, and you supported me when I was behaving like an ass. You even took out Tao-hyung so that he doesn’t feel ignored. Nobody does all this unless they care, you know,” he said smartly with a grin._

 

_Yifan felt his face warm at the compliments, and he lightly punched the younger’s shoulder. “Get going and confess, Nini. And be sure to sweep him off his feet,” he said, patting Jonin's shoulder. The younger one smiled at him and picked up his jacket. He waved once and made his way out do the apartment._

  


Yifan hoped that things were going well for Jongin. He wondered what he was supposed to do now. He really wanted to get things cleared with Tao, but he did not know how to approach him. He thought back to his relationship with Chanyeol and let out a sigh. The situation back then was something similar to what was happening now, only this time _he_ was the one who had come between two lovers.

 

He remembered that it was Baekhyun who had intervened and confessed to Yifan, bravely admitting that he loved Chanyeol. He had even taken the blame for destroying their relationship, and Yifan had instantly agreed. He had blamed Chanyeol also for ruining their bond, which had ultimately broken the younger boy.

 

In his defense, Yifan had been hurt. They had been with each other for nearly a year, so it was only logical that Yifan had been upset.

 

He suddenly stilled as an idea came to him. He quickly made it to his feet and grabbed his jacket that was laying on the couch. He locked his house and got outside, making his way down the street to where Chanyeol lived with Baekhyun. It was ironic really, how close the duo lived to Yifan. The latter had spotted them a lot of times around their locality, not that it bothered him.

 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun lived in Baekhyun’s loft apartment that was only three blocks from where he lived. He felt the breeze pick up as he walked to their apartment. It took him less than twenty minutes, and he was soon standing in front of their door, knocking hesitantly on it.

 

He heard some muffled voices from inside, and he prayed that the duo were alone. A moment later, the door opened inwards and Baekhyun’s head popped from inside. The cheerful smile that was on his face, disappeared and a slight frown settled upon his face.

 

“Kris-hyung? What are you doing here?” He asked in a neutral voice. Yifan paused for a moment as he became speechless. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, before another presence joined Baekhyun near the door.

 

“Baekhyun-ah, what’s taking you so long- Kris-hyung?” Chanyeol exclaimed in shock as he saw who was at the door. Yifan gave him a nod. He looked at the two men before him. Chanyeol was staring at him with shock, and Baekhyun was frowning at him. He was unwanted there and he knew that, but he really did not know who else to go to.

 

“I need your help, guys,” he started with a defeated expression. Baekhyun lifted his chin and crossed his arms. Chanyeol began to say something, but the shorter one cut him off as he addressed Yifan directly. “Why should we help you when you clearly don’t like us, hm? If my memory serves me well, you kicked my Chanyeollie out of your house without even letting him explain himself. You’ve got some nerve to show up here, you know,” he growled.

 

Yifan was slightly taken aback with his response, but he had arrived there, expecting this. He slumped his shoulders and stared directly at Baekhyun. Then, he bowed down from the waist and ducked his head. After a moment, he raised his head and found a troubled expression on Chanyeol’s face.

 

“I know I was unreasonable back then, and I said a lot of hurtful things, but you should understand that I was upset and angry too. I loved Chanyeol with all my heart, and to discover that he was in love with someone else was just too much for me. Now, I know that you can’t choose who you love,” he said with a solemn face.

 

Chanyeol was quick to reassure him, and Yifan gave him a smile. “I know I never made it easy for you, hyung. Anyone in your situation would have acted the same way. Baekhyun-ah is just upset because he’s petty like that,” he said with a smile, which earned him a swat from his significant other.

 

Chanyeol invited him inside and Yifan entered, bowing his head once more in Baekhyun’s direction. The latter’s house was big, with large windows lining the wall on one side, and a wall with pictures on the other side. A white couch was pushed against the wall on one side with a table and a television set. He sat on the cushions and looked on, as Chanyeol and Baekhyun occupied the chairs in front of him.

 

They stared at him expectantly and Yifan sighed once more, not knowing how to begin. He removed his jacket and folded it, placing it over his lap. He squared his shoulders and decided to dive straight to the point.

 

“I’m in love with my roommate’s boyfriend. They’ve broken up now, but I’ve liked the boy from a long time. Stuff happened between us, and he’s angry with me.” He paused to gauge their reactions and it was amusing to Yifan. Baekhyun looked unimpressed, but Chanyeol had his hands covering his mouth and his brows were raised.

 

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and crossed his legs. “Let me guess, either you yelled at the boy for cheating on your roommate or you told him you don’t have feelings for him. Which of this did you do?” Baekhyun asked, raising his eyebrows.

 

Yifan sighed and told him that he had done both of them. “No way! You didn’t! Hyung, why are you like this!” Yelled Chanyeol, making Yifan flinch a little. Baekhyun did not even move a muscle as Chanyeol continued to shout at him.

 

Once Chanyeol calmed down, Yifan told them everything. He was hopeful because Baekhyun was listening with a focused expression, while Chanyeol’s expression turned comic by the minute.

 

“Oh Kris-hyung, you have to apologize and tell him how you feel,” said Chanyeol with a firm voice. Yifan turned to Baekhyun, as the man was giving him a strange look. He uncrossed his legs, and leaned forward, placing his elbows over his knees.

 

“Kris-hyung, I think I know why you came to us,” he said with a speculative look on his face. Chanyeol turned to him with confusion, but his lover continued to look only at Yifan.

 

“You’re in the exact situation that I was a year ago, only I had the balls to tell Chanyeol how I felt,” Baekhyun said, glancing towards his lover. They shared a smile between themselves and the shorter male turned to Yifan once more.

 

“You’re not dating anybody, so it was easy for you to come to terms with your feelings, but did you think about what Tao had to go through? I haven’t spoken to the boy, so I don’t know, but Chanyeol here had a hard time. He was torn between his loyalty to you and his love for me,” he said. He blindly reached for Chanyeol’s hand and laced his fingers with the other one. “He was so depressed because the thought of cheating on you was impossible to him, but at the same time he wanted to be with me too. So many times we had agreed to just swallow our feelings and go on, but in the end we kept gravitating towards each other,” he said softly.

 

Yifan gulped and looked down at his feet. He had not expected Baekhyun to say all this. “I blamed myself for it, you know. Back then, I thought that I had done something wrong to push him away from me,” Yifan said, looking up at Chanyeol. The latter’s expression turned guilty as he averted his eyes from Yifan.

 

“You did nothing wrong, neither did you lack anything. I just….I just,” he was searching for the right word to use when Yifan completed it for him with a sad smile. “You just fell out of love with me.”

 

Baekhyun released a sound of protest as he heard this. “He did not fall out of love with you. He still loves you, hyung. Maybe, not the way you wanted him to. It’s just that his past feelings came back to him. And we had never moved on from each other. There was no fault of yours in this, I swear.”

 

Yifan made a non-committal sound and twiddled his thumbs absently. He had thought that Chanyeol had begun to hate him or that he had grown bored of Yifan. His thoughts were interrupted when Chanyeol spoke.

 

“Hyung, I’m sure Tao is feeling something along those lines. For me, I had Baek who supported me and stayed with me. He made the whole ‘coming to terms with feelings’ thing easy for me by being there for me. I think you should have done the same. I’m sure Tao would have felt better if you had told him about your feelings. He may thought that his feelings were one-sided, and nothing is more hurtful than that.”

 

Both of them were looking at Yifan with concern in their eyes. The blonde looked extremely remorseful of his actions. He had not even considered Tao’s feelings when he had blatantly rejected him. He thought about how lonely Tao must have felt when, in his time of need, the one person whom he sought for help, ignored him and put him down. He could not begin to fathom the amount of pain he must have caused Tao. Tears pricked at his eyes as the image of Tao’s tear-stricken face morphed in his mind.

 

He dropped his face into his palms and let out a shaky breath. “I’m an asshole. I’m just a scared asshole who doesn’t deserve someone like him,” he whispered. He continued to stay in that position until he felt arms wrap around him and press him against a broad shoulder.

 

“Shh, hyung. It’s okay. You’ve realized your mistake, so now you can go and fix it.” Chanyeol’s deep, yet soothing voice calmed Yifan’s erratic heart. He leaned into the younger and let a few tears drop. Once he had gained composure, he pulled back with a red face and looked at Chanyeol.

 

Yifan felt a smile pull at his lips as he noticed those wide roundish eyes focused on his. Chanyeol smiled back and his expression turned goofy. Chanyeol may be tall and handsome, but his chirpy personality would always be the striking feature for Yifan.

 

He reached out and ruffled Chanyeol’s curly hair, making the younger push him away in protest. Even Baekhyun chuckled at that, and Yifan was glad for this progress. He stood up and retrieved his jacket from the couch.

 

As he was making his way out he turned towards the two, once more, with a sincere expression on his face. “Thank you so much for your help. And I apologize once more, for everything that happened in the past. I want you guys to know that I only wish for your happiness,” he said in a serious tone.

 

Baekhyun nodded at him and gripped Chanyeol’s hand. “Thanks for that. I know it wasn’t easy for either of you, but I’m glad we could get past it.” Chanyeol smiled widely and bobbed his head vigorously as his lover spoke. “And I hope we can hang out sometime, Hyung. I really miss hanging out with you, and there’s so much that I want to tell you,” expressed Chanyeol with a laugh.

 

Yifan’s heart swelled with happiness as he heard that. It was good to know that Chanyeol still considered him so close. He nodded and promised to meet each other as soon as possible.

  
With a farewell, he made his way to the subway to catch a train to Tao’s locality. Since he had forgotten his keys, he was forced to use the local commute, not that he minded. He always used the local trains for traveling. It was extremely convenient and, not to mention, cheap.

 

Throughout the train ride, he practiced how he would confess to Tao. Varied scenarios ran through his head, and he even thought about one where Tao would Wushu kick him out of his apartment. He sincerely prayed that Tao would spare him.

 

After alighting from the subway, he walked the short distance to Tao’s locality, feeling nervy as he neared his apartment. He had never been inside Tao’s apartment and he vaguely remembered Tao telling him that his apartment was the one below the roof. He had always complained to Yifan about how hot it would get in summers.

 

The blonde was about to call Tao to let him in, when the front door opened to reveal Sehun. The young boy eyed Yifan suspiciously before he leaned closer to him with a scary look in his eyes. “You better be going there to fix shit up. If not, I suggest you leave now.”

 

Yifan sighed and looked right into Sehun’s eyes. “I’m going to apologize to him. And tell him that I love him. And maybe kiss him,” Yifan replied with a serious expression on his face, which made the younger one blush. He nodded at Yifan and squared his shoulders.

 

“You better do all of that and more, mister. The next time he whines to me about pain, it better be about how sore he is from sex, and not from heartbreak, you got it?” Sehun said with a smirk. Yifan rolled his eyes at the younger and made his way inside.

 

“His apartment number is 4A,” shouted Sehun and Yifan threw back a quick ‘thanks’.

 

He ran up the stairs to the fourth floor and frantically searched for the door with the number ‘4A’. It was on the corner of the hallway and there were tiny paw print stickers adorning the door. A name plate bearing his full name was welded to the door and Yifan knew he was at the right place. He only hoped Tao was at home.

 

Taking a deep breath, he pressed the tiny white button, on the wall next to the door, under the bell symbol. A buzzing sound could be heard inside, and he heard Tao shout ‘coming’ before he heard the muffled sound of footfalls.

 

The door was wrenched open and Yifan sucked in a breath as his eyes took in the lithe form of Tao. The younger one was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. He was clutching some clothes in his hand as he opened the door, and his expression turned hostile when he realised who was at the door.

 

“What are you doing here?” He asked coldly, eyes narrowing like a cat. Whatever preparation he had done in the train was lost on him, as he stood there dumbfounded.

 

Tao was still glaring at him when Yifan’s lips finally parted, only to say, “You told me not to text or call, but you never said anything about me physically coming to see you.”

 

Tao’s mouth dropped open in shock and his eyes widened. Yifan wanted to kick himself in the ass for that line. He closed his eyes for a moment before he tried again. “I came here to talk to you, Taozi. Can I come in?” He asked gently, taking a step towards his door.

 

Tao stood before his open door and lifted his chin at Yifan. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it right where you are.”

 

Yifan sighed, but he nodded nonetheless. It was still better than getting the door slammed shut in his face (one among the countless scenarios he had imagined). He took a few calming breaths when he realized how fast his heart was beating.

 

“Do you remember me telling you about Chanyeol and how we broke up? Well, when Chanyeol began to realize his feelings for Baekhyun, he sort of distanced himself away from me. Back then, I never knew why Chanyeol was behaving the way he was. I thought I lacked something and blamed myself for the entire ordeal, even if I did kick him out,” he said. Tao stood still by the door, but he was listening to every word that Yifan was saying.

 

“I-I became a little insecure after that, because I seriously thought I was incapable of keeping someone with me. It was the same with Junmyeon and Amber. They left me because they knew it would not work out with me. Even if I did move on from Chanyeol, that little thought that I was inadequate always haunted me, and I dreaded the idea of loving again, because I felt that anyone who loved me would eventually leave me,” he said sadly.

 

Tao’s fierce expression softened a little as he understood what Yifan meant. He nodded an inch, asking him to continue. “When I saw you at that cafe for the first time, I felt certain feelings in me rekindle again. I was quite devastated when I found out that you were with Jongin. It was even worse when I got to know you later on, and realised how perfect you were,” he said, his voice taking on a note of awe.

 

He took a step forward and stared intently into Tao’s eyes as he spoke. “I just wanted to make you happy. As for your gift, I thought deeply about everything you were passionate about, and I spent days trying to think of the perfect gift. And when I found it, I didn’t even hesitate in giving it to Jongin. It didn’t matter who you received it from, as long as you liked it,” he said and paused for breath. He noticed that Tao’s face was slowly filling with color.

 

“I love the fact that you arrived early for your dates, just so that we could talk. I loved our deep conversations. I loved that you opened up to me and shared your insecurities. I loved the very fact, that I could open up to you, because I don’t talk to anyone so easily,” he said.

 

Then, his own face began flaming up as the intensity of his love took over his words. “I love the concentrated look in your eyes whenever you listen to me talk. I love the tiny smiles you give when something I do pleases you. And that kittenish laughter of yours? It’s the most precious thing I’ve heard. Do you remember me complimenting your eyes when we met for the first time?” He asked, waiting for Tao’s response.

 

Tao absently nodded as his cheeks reddened even more. “That evening I think I fell for you a little. Later, as we spoke and got to know each other, I fell more and more in love with you, until one day I realized that seeing you in pain drove me mad. When Jongin was ignoring you or lying about going out somewhere, I would text you or make sure that you never felt his absence. I know it was wrong of me to do that-”

 

“No, I appreciated every single moment that you had done so. If anything, you kept the loneliness at bay,” he interrupted Yifan, speaking for the first time. Yifan smiled at him and moved a step closer. Tao had tears in his eyes as he looked up at Yifan. “You were always there, making sure that I never felt abandoned. You’re like my knight in shining armor, always ready to defend me,” he said with a tiny smile.

 

Yifan’s smile widened and he himself felt his face grow hot. He stepped into Tao’s personal space and looked down into eyes rimmed with dark lines. “I’m sorry for disregarding your feelings when I should have welcomed them and reciprocated it,” he said in a whisper, his eyes glistening now with pain. Tao shook his head and placed his palm over Yifan’s cheek.

 

“I understand now your reasons. You have no need to apologize. And let me make one thing clear, Yifan-Ge, you are not responsible for anyone’s pain. If people left you in the past, it was because of circumstances, not because of who you are,” he said in a firm voice, gently caressing Yifan’s jaw.

 

Yifan looked down silently and tears dripped over his cheeks. “I like you for everything that you are, and I can assure you that I’m not going anywhere. The question is, do you want me by your side?”

 

“Of course. I want you right beside me. I want you to be mine, so that I can spoil you and love you,” he said with a chuckle. Tao smiled at him brightly, even if tears were flowing from his eyes. Yifan found that he loved this expression on Tao. He loved the way his feline eyes turned to half crescents and the way his lower lip seemed a little fuller compared to his upper one as he smiled.

 

He felt himself overwhelmed with joy and he promptly leaned down to place a soft kiss over Tao’s lips. The latter let out a gasp as he felt dry lips pressing gently against his.

 

Yifan bridged any remaining gap between them as he wrapped one of his hands around Tao’s waist and the other one he brought to rest under Tao’s chin. He tilted his head to get a better angle as they kissed contently. The bundle of clothes began to slip from Tao’s hold as he lost himself in Yifan’s kiss.

 

Yifan pulled away after a moment, becoming breathless, as he gazed at Tao. He swallowed nervously and gazed pointedly towards the inside of his apartment. “Am I allowed inside now, Huang Zitao-ssi?” He asked teasingly.

 

Tao nodded once with a gentle smile s he stepped back into his apartment. Yifan entered the cozy apartment and looked around. The walls were an off white color and they were filled with pictures and paintings. The furnishing was very fashionable and trendy, and he said so to Tao, earning another smile from the younger.

 

He hung his jacket on the coat rack by the door and his eyes followed Tao’s lithe form as he moved around the apartment, dumping his clothes on the brown couch. Then, he shyly turned to face Yifan with a blush evident on his face.

 

Yifan could not look anywhere else other than Tao, and he knew what he wanted. Taking long steps, he reached Tao and pulled the younger one within his arms. He felt Tao’s hands slipping around his waist and he felt Tao’s warm breath over his chest. He rested his head against Tao’s black hair and placed soft kisses over his bangs.

 

Tao felt like a ball of warmth and Yifan could have stood there forever, holding the boy so close to him. It was not uncomfortable like the previous times they had hugged. Now, they could touch each other freely and not feel like they were doing something wrong.

 

He felt Tao nuzzling against his shirt and he was sure that clouds were bursting in his head at the sight. “Taozi, why are you so cute?” He whispered by Tao’s ear. The younger one pulled away a little and tilted his head upwards, their lips only inches apart. His gaze was fixated on Yifan’s lips as he answered.

 

“Because my mother prayed for a cute son, that’s why,” he said. Yifan could not help but let out a fond chuckle. He ducked and pressed his nose against Tao’s cheek, placing a soft kiss there. Tao made a soft sound at that and he shivered in his arms.

 

“Tao, can we continue?” He asked after a second. Tao replied using actions, though, as he wrapped his hands around Yifan’s neck and rose on his toes to kiss him. This time, however, Tao nipped at Yifan’s lips and tugged them between his teeth, eliciting a surprised sound from the elder.

 

Yifan complied by parting his lips and allowing the younger’s tongue to explore his mouth. He felt Tao’s tongue make contact with his and Yifan shivered involuntarily. Their tongues met again and again in some sort of battle for dominance, but it was clear who was in charge as Yifan took over and thrust his tongue into Tao’s hot mouth.

 

The younger let out a moan and pressed himself closer to Yifan, tugging violently on his hair. This only spurred Yifan to kiss him more passionately, as his tongue brushed over every inch of Tao’s hot cavern. As they parted for breath, Tao’s brown eyes were nearly black with lust, and they shone under the light from the living room. His lips were moist, red and looked abused, just the way that Yifan wanted.

 

He lowered himself once more to claim those lips, when Tao firmly pressed his palms against Yifan’s chest. “Let’s take it to the bedroom, shall we?” He suggested with a flirtatious wink. Yifan nodded and laced his fingers with Tao’s hands as they made their way to his bedroom.

 

Yifan was surprised at how simple the bedroom looked compared to the other rooms of the house. There was a big bed placed at the center of the wall with a small drawer beside it, and there was a french window opposite to the bed which led out to a wide balcony. There was a huge walk-in wardrobe on one side and other wall was bare with only a single picture of Tao with some dog.

 

“Do you like it, Ge?” Tao asked softly as he moved to stand before the bed. Yifan merely nodded as he closed in on Tao. He reached up to his own shirt and began to unbutton them, earning a sound of protest from Tao. He swatted away Yifan’s fingers, and instead began unbuttoning the elder’s shirt. He bit his lip as he focused on his task, and Yifan wanted to kiss those lips into oblivion.

 

“I’ve wanted to unbutton your shirts from so long. You look so sexy in your formal outfit. I’m sure a lot of your students dream of doing this to you, huh?” He teased as he finally got Yifan out of his shirt. The elder then gripped Tao’s hips and brought him in for a bruising kiss.

 

As their lips moved against each other, Yifan moved his palms around Tao’s hips and gave his butt cheeks a squeeze. Tao yelped into the kiss as the elder’s large hands roamed the expanse of his clothed back.

 

Yifan released Tao’s lips and tugged on the other’s t-shirt. “Strip for me, Taozi,” he demanded in his gravelly voice, and Tao nodded dazedly. He gripped the ends of his tee and pulled it over his head. He then gripped the elastic of his shorts and pulled that down, letting it pool around his ankles. He then went for his boxers and took them off too, removing the last piece of clothing.

 

Yifan grinned as he saw Tao’s toned body. Taut muscles rippled underneath smooth skin as he got onto the bed and laid over it on his back. His legs were sprawled comfortably and one of his hands were inching towards his half hard length.

 

“Now it’s your turn to strip,” Tao said with a smirk. Yifan wanted to tease the boy before him to further extent, but he knew that tonight was not about slow discoveries. There would be another day for that.

 

Tonight, there was a sense of urgency in Yifan to be connected to the boy he loved in the deepest possible manner. He wanted to consume Tao, but he also wanted to be consumed too. He unbuckled his pants and pulled down his boxers along with the pants.

 

Yifan could not help but smile when he saw the pinkish red hue overtaking Tao’s neck and his face. The younger’s eyes were focused on Yifan’s length, and while he would not say that he was massive, he was still well endowed for his height.

 

He slowly got onto the bed and moved over Tao on fours. He settled himself between Tao’s muscular thighs and he gripped the underside of them, reveling in the feeling of muscles rippling under his fingers. Tao’s tanned skin was smooth on the surface, but they were strong enough to break bones. Years and years of practicing Wushu and martial arts had toned his legs and torso. Large hands slowly made their way up his thighs and all the way till his abs, feeling the skin underneath.

 

Tao moaned his name as he felt those large hands roving over his skin. Yifan ducked his head and began kissing the hard planes of Tao's hips, and he made his way upwards. He worshiped Tao’s body not only with kisses, but also with his tongue and his hands.

 

Yifan worked his way up to Tao's chest and he glanced upwards into the latter's eyes as he gently took his nipple between his lips. Yifan grinned with the nub in his mouth and he tugged on it slightly, making the younger one close his eyes and moan.

 

His free hand moved to the other nipple and he gripped it. His fingers tugged and pulled at Tao's nipple in sync with his mouth. He licked over the sensitive nub and flicked it over with his tongue.

 

The blonde reduced the younger one into a squirming mess as he continued to abuse both of his nipples. Once he was satisfied with the reddish hue they had turned into, he drew back with a smug smile.

 

Tao's face was flushed red all the way to the tip of his ears. He was taking deep breaths and his lips were parted slightly. “You're so beautiful like this, my little panda,” Yifan commented as he took in Tao's appearance. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, relishing in the act.

 

Tao ran his fingers through Yifan's hairs and proceeded to trace lines over his neck and down his back. “Ge, don’t say such things. It makes me flustered,” he said cutely, and Yifan had to bite back a groan at how adorable he was. He then placed more kisses over Tao’s cheeks, making the boy sigh.

 

Yifan felt Tao’s hand grip his biceps as he pushed him away. The elder’s expression turned inquisitive, but Tao only reached out to the little drawer that was by his bed. He opened one of the drawers and retrieved a condom and a bottle of lube. He averted his eyes from Yifan’s eyes as he pressed them into his hands.

 

Yifan took the bottle of lube in his hand and watched in curiosity as Tao laid back once more on the bed. He looked expectantly at Yifan, giving him a smile. Yifan nodded and settled once more between his legs. He popped open the bottle and poured some of it onto his fingers.

 

Yifan used his other hand to spread Tao’s thighs apart, and let his hand rest over his hip, getting a firm grip over the protruding bone. His thumb rubbed soothing circles over the skin stretched over the hollow of his hips.

 

“You ready?” He asked the younger, as he brought his lubricated fingers around Tao’s shaft, giving it a gentle squeeze. Tao whined and snapped his hips a little at the contact. Yifan saw the younger one nod, and he took it as a signal for him to continue.

 

He slowly moved his fingers all the way down Tao’s hardening shaft. He cupped his balls and gave it a squeeze too, making Tao moan.

 

Yifan’s finger then hovered over Tao’s quivering hole as he teased him by rubbing his finger against the opening, but not pushing it in. Tao frowned at him and gestured at him with his hands to keep going.

 

Yifan only chuckled and pressed his entire finger into Tao. The latter gasped silently at the intrusion, but his body froze. Yifan began to move his finger in and out, in order to stretch him open. His free hand, that was gripping Tao’s hips, moved over to his length and began stroking him.

 

Yifan continued to scissor him open with one finger, and a moment later, he added a second in. He kept stroking Tao’s shaft with his other hand, and this double stimulation made Tao scream with pleasure.

 

He continued to finger Tao until the boy was twitching underneath him and calling out his name in soft moans. As Yifan removed his fingers, the younger surged forward and cupped his cheek. He brought him up for a kiss, moaning a little as their tongues met. Tao put all of his passion into the kiss as he closed his eyes and lost himself.

 

Their kiss was slow and languid as Yifan began to press Tao into the mattress once more, but Tao had other plans. Wrapping his legs around Yifan, he nimbly switched their positions. Yifan let out a surprised grunt as he found himself lying on his back.

 

He watched with interest as Tao placed his legs on either side of Yifan. He looked down at the elder with a small smile. “A-are you okay with this?” He asked hesitantly. Yifan could only nod in amazement at the beauty that was Tao.

 

Tao moved backwards a little as he admired Yifan’s long body. He knelt between the elder’s legs as he took hold of Yifan’s shaft within his fist. Yifan’s brow creased as he felt a shiver go up his spine.

 

Yifan bit his lip to silence the moan that was threatening to emerge from his throat as Tao began pumping his cock. Then, Tao bent from the waist down, as he mouthed over the head of Yifan’s cock. His ass was in the air, and Yifan wanted nothing more but to pound into him.

 

Tao’s eyes closed as he ran his tongue down the elder’s shaft, ghosting lightly over the vein. He lapped at the elder’s cock as if it were a treat, and he let out the filthiest moan that Yifan had ever heard.

 

“You taste so good, Yifan-Ge,” he said hoarsely. His eyes snapped open then, and he began to engulf Yifan’s entire length. He maintained eye contact with Yifan as he took him in, inch by inch. Yifan’s jaw dropped as he noticed the way those cat-like eyes were looking up at him, and also at the obscene way his lips were stretched over Yifan’s cock.

 

Yifan felt suffocated as Tao swallowed more of his cock, until his entire length was inside the younger's hot mouth. He moaned as Tao began to bob his head up and down, making sure to lick every inch of Yifan's cock.

 

Pleasure build up within Yifan as Tao sucked him off. He wanted to be deep inside of Tao as he came, so he lifted himself on his elbows and looked down at Tao. The young boy had such a look of bliss over his face, that Yifan did not wanted to deter him of his pleasure.

 

Eventually he had to stop him, given the fact that he was ready to cum inside Tao's mouth. “Tao, enough. I want to be in you,” He demanded of the younger.

 

Tao released his length slowly and he had a dazed look over his face. He licked his lips and swallowed, making Yifan's cock twitch at the sight. Everything that Tao did was sexy to Yifan.

 

Yifan reclined over the pillows once more as Tao tore open the condom. He carefully rolled the condom over Yifan's leaking cock and smeared more lube over his length.

 

He got on his knees above Yifan and slowly guided Yifan's cock into his opening. His face was pinched in pain as he slowly got down on Yifan. Once the head was inside him, the rest of his cock slipped in easily.

 

Yifan's eyes widened as he felt his cock being engulfed by Tao's warmth. He automatically placed his hands over Tao's hips, as the younger steadied himself over Yifan by placing his palms over his chest. He took a few deep breaths as he adjusted to the stretch.

 

“Ah, Ge, you're big, and hot. I-I can feel your cock pulsing in me, shit,” cursed Tao. He had his eyes closed and head bent, as he finally lifted his hips slowly.

 

Yifan felt his cock leave that warmth as Tao lifted himself. He brought himself down a moment later, clenching around the elder deliberately to make him moan. Yifan's deep moans were everything that Tao wanted. He loved how that deep growl went directly to his own leaking length.

 

Sweat began to drip down his torso and over his thighs as he moved himself over Yifan. He could feel the way Yifan's cock brushed against his prostate at every other thrust, and he began to feel pleasure envelop him.

 

Yifan helped him by thrusting upwards into him as Tao came down. This made the younger shout in pleasure, and Yifan wanted to do it again. Tao's head was thrown back as his movements slowed, probably due to the exhaustion, and Yifan made a quick decision.

 

He coaxed Tao to stop his movement as he gently pushed him away. Then, in a quick motion, he switched their position by pushing Tao to lay over his back. He placed himself between the younger's muscular thighs and aligned himself at his entrance.

 

Without wasting even a second, he gripped Tao's thighs and thrust himself into that delicious heat. Tao moaned Yifan's name as he felt him go deeper in him.

 

Yifan raised his legs higher as he searched for the right angle to thrust into. He grit his teeth as he put all of his power into his thrusts. The younger one could only gasp silently as Yifan pounded into him mercilessly.

 

At one particular thrust, Tao's spine tightened as he felt a white surge of pleasure burst before his eyes. He clenched his insides around Yifan and the elder let out a wild grunt.

 

He now aimed for Tao's spot at every thrust, and it was bringing the younger one closer and closer to the edge. He felt pleasure coil deep in his belly and he gripped Yifan's biceps.

 

“Ge, I'm really close. Almost there,” he whispered incoherently as Yifan leaned down to capture Tao's lips for a searing kiss. He continued to snap his hips at a brutal pace and he moved his tongue inside Tao's mouth in sync with his thrusts.

 

Tao's hands wrapped around Yifan's neck as he felt an urgency take over him. The elder thrust into him with full vigor, and Tao came. He closed his eyes and colors exploded behind his lids. He felt pleasure explode in spikes all over his body, from head to toe and he screamed Yifan's name loudly.

 

Yifan let out a choked sound as he felt Tao clenched tightly around his cock. He continued to push his length into him as he was engulfed into Tao's hot body. He felt his own climax near as Tao was still twitching with residual pleasure.

 

Yifan looked down at Tao as his movements stuttered. The younger one had his head tilted a little to the side as he watched Yifan. His eyes were half open and there was a debauched smile over his face. His fingers roved over Yifan's shoulders and rested in his hair.

 

“Come for me, Yifan,” Tao said, forgoing his usage of honorifics, and it was the hottest thing that Yifan had heard. He thrust deep into Tao as he climaxed.

 

Tao let out a soft sound and closed his eyes as he felt Yifan's cock pulse in him. The elder continued to thrust gently into Tao to milk out his pleasure.

 

He collapsed onto Tao and let out a relieved breath as he felt the younger's arms wrap around him. He relaxed in his embrace and wished he could stay there forever.

 

Unfortunately, he wanted to clean himself before he allowed any more cuddling. He got onto his knees and slowly pulled out of Tao. The younger boy let out a sound of disappointment as he felt his hole clenching over emptiness.

 

Yifan removed the condom, tied it and threw it into the dustbin. He then laid on his back, on the bed, and stretched his legs, yawning loudly in the process. Tao chuckled at him and gingerly made it to his feet.

 

He let out a soft sound of pain as he made his way out of his room. He returned after a minute with a wet towel. He cleaned Yifan's softening length, and proceeded to clean himself. Once he was finished, he went out of the room to dispose of the towel.

 

He switched off the lights in the house and in his bedroom, before he made his way to Yifan. The elder patted the space beside him, and Tao smiled at him. He sprawled beside Yifan and turned to him with wide eyes.

 

“I've been wanting to do that for quite some time now,” Tao admitted with a bashful smile. Yifan wrapped an arm around his waist and brought him closer. Tao turned to his side and arched his back, resting his head over Yifan's chest.

 

Yifan felt his eyes close and he readily drifted to sleep. Tao could feel the steady rhythm of the elder's heart underneath his ears, and he felt extremely calm at hearing that. The soft heartbeats of his lover eventually lulled him to a dreamless sleep.

 

* * *

  


The next morning turned out extremely eventful for the two lovers. Yifan had been disturbed from his sleep by an aroused Tao, who had been quick to straddle the elder. He had kissed Yifan deeply and had continuously rubbed his morning wood against Yifan's hardening length.

 

Tao's idea had ended up with him being pushed into the pillows as Yifan had thrusted into him from behind. Tao had been on all fours, as Yifan had rammed his hips against his at a punishing pace.

 

Once their lust was sated, they had gone back to sleep. When they awoke again, Yifan made breakfast for the two of them. They sat close to each other as they finished their meal.

 

The entire day was gone as they spent it discovering each other's bodies. When Yifan had to leave at night, he had kissed Tao good night before he had left.

 

He had to tell Jongin and his other friends about his new lover, but mostly Jongin. He returned home to find Jongin nervously pacing the apartment.

 

“Oh my God, hyung I'm so glad to see you! You disappeared for an entire day! You left me no note, no text! I even troubled Luhan-hyung and Minseok-hyung! Where the hell were you?!!” Asked Jongin as he pulled Yifan into a painful embrace.

 

Once Yifan could breathe again properly he placed his hands over Jongin's shoulders. “Jongin, I have something I need to tell you,” he started. Yifan made sure he was seated before he went into a long explanation. He told Jongin everything that had happened, and there was a blank expression on the younger's face.

 

After a few minutes, the boy had pulled Yifan once more for a hug, but this time it was a gentle hug. “Hyung, all you had to do was ask, for there is no way I'd refuse you anything. I'm glad it worked out for you, though,” he said burying his face in Yifan's shoulder.

 

The elder looked down with a doubtful look. “Are you sure you're okay with this?” He asked. Jongin drew back and smiled at him. “Of course, it's not like I've been entirely true to him. I did fall for Kyungsoo-hyung, which reminds me, I need to make you guys meet,” he said with a gasp.

 

Yifan was glad that things got back to normal between them. Eventually, a few days later, all of his friends were meeting up at the club for one of Yixing's parties.

 

That night, Yifan and Tao had dressed up in black and gold. As they had entered the club, the first person he had spotted was Jongin. The young intern was standing beside a shorter male, who had a lost look on his face.

 

As they approached the duo, Jongin addressed Yifan with a wide smile. He introduced the shorter male as Do Kyungsoo. He apparently worked as a chef at a reputed restaurant, and it was clear that Jongin was head over heels in love with him.

 

Tao immediately took a liking to the shorter male and soon he was teasing the chef, making him smile a little.

 

The next people to arrive was Sehun and Luhan. They looked extremely chic as they sauntered over to their friends. They all introduced each other and began talking among themselves.

 

The biggest surprise was when Chanyeol and Baekhyun entered the club. Nobody could miss Chanyeol's big smile as he pulled Yifan into a soul crushing hug. This was frowned upon by a jealous Tao who was quick to separate the two. Everyone shared a laugh at his jealous behavior.

 

It seemed that Junmyeon was a good friend of Baekhyun and had invited him for the party. Then, Chanyeol had let out a scream of happiness when he spotted Kyungsoo. It seemed that Chanyeol and Kyungsoo had been roommates back when they were in college. They started talking to each other in earnest and soon, everyone was involved in conversation.

 

“I can't believe we all have some sort of connection with each other,” expressed Yifan with a chuckle. Luhan nodded and agreed with him. “It's great, isn't it? It's always good to make more friends!”

 

Tao had other opinions as he kept glowering at Chanyeol every time the giant had made his way towards Yifan. “He has someone to love, right? So why must he be so happy to converse with you?” Tao asked tersely.

 

Yifan only chuckled and comforted him by saying that Chanyeol was known for his happy personality.

 

After a while, the host of the party, Zhang Yixing, along with his boyfriend Junmyeon made their entrance. With them, came the last members to join their party.

 

Yifan smiled as he saw his colleague and good friend, Kim Minseok walk towards them with Kim Jongdae beside him. They were dressed a little formally for the occasion and Yifan raised his brows at their appearance.

 

“What's with the formal attire, Minseok-hyung?” Luhan asked. Minseok shrugged his shoulders as Jongdae answered for him.

 

“Today's my last day of vacation. From tomorrow I've got some recording to do in China. We won't be meeting each other for few weeks, so I decided to take him out for dinner,” he said with a smile.

 

Tao had frozen beside Yifan from the time Jongdae had stepped into the club. Yifan could not help but laugh at his young lover's plight. Tao was a true fanboy.

 

Yifan introduced Jongdae and Tao, which made the younger stutter over his words. They conversed for a while when Jongdae excused himself, informing the rest that he wanted to talk to Yixing.

 

Minseok had waited until Jongdae had left, after which he retrieved a velvet box from within the coat he was wearing and showed it to his friends, old and new. Both Luhan and Yifan, along with the rest of the boys gasped as they saw it.

 

Yifan smiled his gummy smile at the two eldest among them, and Tao knew that he was extremely happy. “Are you gonna ask him, Minseok-Ge?” Yifan asked enthusiastically.

 

Minseok smiled and glanced to where Jongdae was talking animatedly with Yixing at the Disco area. They looked like they were having a good laugh. “I can't think of anyone else more perfect for me. I've been with him through every aspect of his career. I love him so much,” he admitted with a sigh.

 

Luhan patted his shoulder and took the box from him, opening it to view the ring. It was a simple gold band with a diamond at the center. Everyone shared a look and were in awe.

 

“I only hope he's happy with me,” Minseok said with a doubtful smile. Yifan gripped the shorter male's shoulder as he spoke in a firm voice. “That loud ass can be happy with no one else. He needs you in his life. He's gonna say yes, you see,” he said.

 

Minseok nodded with a smile and took back the ring box from Luhan. He was teary-eyed as looked at Minseok with a fond smile. “I'm so happy, baozi! I know Jongdae will say yes!”

 

After a moment or two, Jongdae returned to Minseok's side, wrapping an arm around him and kissing his cheek. “Shall we go, Chennie?” Minseok asked, turning towards his lover with  a smile. Jongdae bobbed his head and turned to the others. “I really wish I could stay and talk for a while, but we have plans, so we must be off,” he said, bowing his head apologetically.

 

Minseok also apologized for leaving the party so soon, but he rest of then knew why he was insistent on leaving. They all gave Minseok discreet gestures of encouragement as the two left the club.

 

“I just met these people, but I sure hope Jongdae-ssi says yes,” Chanyeol exclaimed with excitement. Next to him, Baekhyun also nodded. All of them had similar thoughts going in their head when Yixing's voice drew them from their minds.

 

“I can't believe I met him!” Tao said in amazement. Luhan and Yifan chuckled next to him, but Tao was unfazed. Yixing addressed the crowd by thanking them for their presence. Then, the DJ began to play his songs and Yixing began to sing along to them.

 

Tao turned to Yifan with a wide smile and Yifan could not help but kiss his forehead. “Why are you smiling like that, Taozi?”

 

Tao merely shrugged his shoulders and looked at the crowd around him. “I guess I'm happy. I've met two of my favorite idols,” he said gesturing towards Yixing as he continued, “I've made new friends,” he said as he pointed to the boys around him. Then he leaned against Yifan and looked up at him with a sincere look in his eyes. “I've also got you by my side, my very own Knight in shining armor,” he said with joy lacing every word.

 

Yifan leaned down and placed his lips against Tao's, kissing him. In the dim lighting of the club, he did not care if anyone saw him. All that mattered was the friends he had around him, and the cute feline-eyed lover of his within his arms.

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, how was it? Were you able to guess the episode? Or at least find the reference in it? Also, Yifan's hairstyle when he goes to the club is the one he had in the Overdose MV. Comments are appreciated!


End file.
